Mere Exposure Effect in Psychology

The mere exposure effect is a psychological phenomenon whereby human beings tend to develop a choice for matters or humans that might be similar to others. It increases familiarity. This impact is therefore also referred to as the familiarity effect. 

Importance 

The mere exposure effect in psychology can have a massive impact depending on the context in which it is observed. It can be seen in personality and social psychology. The mere exposure effect is frequently used in medical settings to help individuals with phobias become comfortable with stimuli they are irrationally frightened of. It can also assist individuals to get together with others whilst they may be familiar with being around them more frequently. In addition, it can assist people to discover new cultures, languages, ingredients, and other stimuli. 

In some instances, the mere exposure effect may even carry together groups with one-of-a-kind desires or ranges of tolerance. This is the fundamental concept behind the contact hypothesis. It states that exposure can lead to a change in opinion or acceptance of an outgroup. While previously published studies claimed that this only worked in certain conditions, more recent research has shown that contact alone can be effective.

Read More: What is the Mandela Effect?

Why does the Mere Exposure Impact occur? 

There are important motives for why it occurs: 

• It reduces uncertainty. We, as humans, are programmed by evolution to be cautious of new things; it’s an animal instinct to associate the unknown with danger. As we repeatedly encounter something without experiencing negative outcomes, we begin to assume it is safe. For example, when we first encounter a new type of food, we might be hesitant to try it because we’re unsure if it is safe. However, as we repeatedly see others eating it without experiencing any negative effects, we start to assume it is safe and become more willing to try it ourselves.
• It makes information and interpretation less complicated. Processing fluency suggests that we can better understand and interpret things we’ve seen before. Familiarity increases processing speed, which in turn reduces mental stress. For example, when we read a familiar word, we recognize and understand it more quickly than an unfamiliar one, reducing mental effort. Familiarity with the word increases our processing speed, which in turn reduces mental stress.

How Mere Exposure Impacts Everyday Life 

The mere exposure impact had a tremendous effect on many elements of everyday existence. 

In Relationships

The mere exposure impact will affect how we feel about others. The more time we spend around someone and the more familiar they grow to be, the much more likely we are to choose them over different humans. In some instances, the mere exposure impact can play a part in friendships turning into romantic relationships. In romantic relationships, this impact can play an element in deepening emotions of intimacy. As you turn out to be extra aware of each other’s pastimes, personalities, behaviour, and quirks, the more likely you are to feel advantageous about them as an individual.

Read More: Psychology Behind Relationships

At Work 

The mere exposure impact can also shape the attitudes and perceptions of co-workers and employers. When you first start a job, you could experience much less sympathy for the task and your colleagues certainly because you don’t recognize them well. As you settle in and turn out to be greater acquainted, you are much more likely to finally broaden an extra effective notion of your process. Merely via being uncovered to it, your emotions about it changed. 

In Decision-Making 

Mere exposure can also produce other consequences in your life, which include the choices that you make every day. For example, imagine that you are trying to decide between similar alternatives when shopping for a new automobile. You’ve never owned either model, but once you took an Uber that was the same make and model as one of your options. Because you’re familiar with it, regardless of how brief that exposure was, you might feel a greater affinity for that vehicle simply because it is more familiar.

How to Avoid Mere Exposure Effect 

Some techniques could help limit the extent of the mere exposure effect on your choices and decision-making. Steps you can take to reduce its impact include:

• Be aware of mere exposure: Simply recognizing that the mere exposure effect exists will let you locate methods to counteract it. If you locate yourself getting stuck in a rut and always achieving equal matters, take a moment to ask yourself. Is it something you need, or do you want it simply because it’s the simplest factor? 
• Try new things: Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone and attempt a range of factors as opposed to continually sticking with what’s familiar. Order a distinct dish at your favoured restaurant, pay attention to new songs you’ve in no way heard before, and explore locations where you have in no way been. Not best will it reveal you to new studies and various humans, but, it’ll additionally help you discover things you like past what’s acquainted to you. 
• Sit back from the familiar: Having a routine can be suitable for your mental health, but it’s also an amazing concept to shake matters up on occasion. If you always spend your Friday evenings watching reruns of your favourite show, project yourself to do something different. Check out a local event for your network or call a friend for an evening of board games and communique. 
• Seek out various views: It’s clean to get caught in a filter bubble where we surround ourselves with people, critiques, and views that are very just like our own. Make it a factor to actively look for diverse factors of view, whether it’s miles within the news you eat, the films you watch, the books you study, or the humans you comply with on social media. Exposing yourself to new ideas assists you to be greater open-minded about letting go of the acquainted and attempting new things.

In conclusion, mere exposure refers to the phenomenon wherein repeated exposure to a stimulus will increase familiarity and desire. This impact impacts diverse factors of human conduct, from consumer alternatives to interpersonal enchantment. Understanding mere exposure highlights the unconscious nature of options and the significance of publicity in shaping perceptions. Leveraging this phenomenon can be treasured in advertising and marketing, relationship building, and promoting the attractiveness of unusual ideas or cultures, ultimately enriching our know-how of human cognition and social interplay.