← all facts
perception
You like something simply because you see it often.
A 1968 study demonstrated that conscious exposure to neutral stimuli leads to higher favorability ratings, while later studies (notably in 1980) confirmed that this effect holds even when stimuli are presented below the threshold of conscious recognition.
The 1968 study by Zajonc focused on conscious awareness of stimuli, whereas the 'unconscious' component mentioned in the claim is the subject of later affective primacy research.
Familiarity often masquerades as a genuine preference.
Where this comes from
- Study
- Zajonc (1968)
- What the check found
- The claim conflates the 1968 study, which established the basic mere-exposure effect under conscious conditions, with later experiments that demonstrated the effect under subliminal/subconscious conditions.
- Confidence
- Solid, with limits
Related
One of these every day, and every one names the study it came from. When a finding is contested, it says so.