It’s a typical day…on your way to work, you stop by your local coffee shop for the “usual” – a tall nonfat vanilla latte. You’ve been stopping by this coffee shop every day for months. In fact, one might say that you are a familiar sight to the baristas. But this familiarity might be doing more than just giving you a caffeine buzz.

There is a vast literature on what is called the “Mere-Repeated-Exposure-Effect.” When an individual is repeatedly exposed to a particular stimulus (object or person), they develop a preference for that stimulus. In other words, the more you see it, the more you like it. Actually, you don’t even have to see it! This effect can occur completely unconsciously and is even stronger when we are not aware of the exposure. This effect also traverses different types of stimuli. The more we are exposed to particular letters, numbers, music tones, and (more importantly) people, the more we like them. It has been suggested that the preference or liking for repeated stimuli evolved because it allows us to distinguish objects and habitats that are safe from those that are not. And in doing so, they form a basis for social attachments. Although, it’s not yet known just how permanent our preference for these repeatedly exposed stimuli are, which brings us back to that barista who sees you day after day after day…perhaps it’s time to strike up a conversation!

Further Reading:

Zajonc, R.B. (2001). Mere Exposure: A Gateway to the Subliminal. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10(6), 224-228.