Mere-exposure effect
The more often we see something, the more we like it, even if we have no other reason to prefer it.
What problem it addresses
It explains why the familiar seems better and why a new design may be liked less at first than after a while.
An example
An illustrative example: an app changes its logo.
The design didn’t change; what changed is how many times we had seen it.
Why it happens
What we have already seen is processed with less effort.
That ease feels pleasant.
And we attribute it to the thing itself: we like it more.
Applications in design
Use it like this
Before judging a redesign, let some time pass and measure again: the first reaction isn’t the final one.
Avoid
Repeating a message endlessly: with too many repetitions, it becomes tiresome.
Don’t fall for it
When you like something “just because,” ask yourself whether it’s better or just more familiar.
0 → 25 times
What the research says
The more times people had seen an unfamiliar word, the more positive they thought its meaning was (Zajonc, 1968).
Solid evidence. A meta-analysis of 208 experiments confirmed it: the effect is moderate, stronger with brief exposures, and levels off or drops after many repetitions (Bornstein, 1989).
Connections
Used in
Related to
Authors and works
- 1968
Robert B. Zajonc
Demonstrated it by showing unfamiliar words, characters and images a different number of times.
- 1989
Robert F. Bornstein
Reviewed twenty years of experiments and measured when the effect is strongest.
Sources
Original sources
- Zajonc, R. B. (1968). Attitudinal effects of mere exposure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 9(2, Pt. 2), 1–27. View source: Zajonc, R. B. (1968)
Academic reviews
- Bornstein, R. F. (1989). Exposure and affect: Overview and meta-analysis of research, 1968–1987. Psychological Bulletin, 106(2), 265–289. View source: Bornstein, R. F. (1989)
Last reviewed: