Which phenomenon increases liking with repeated exposure to a stimulus?

Which phenomenon increases liking with repeated exposure to a stimulus?

• A. Social Exchange Theory
• B. Companionate Love
• C. Mere Exposure Effect
• D. Passionate Love

Answer: (C)

Repeated exposure to a stimulus tends to increase liking because familiarity itself feels safer and easier to process. This idea, known as the mere exposure effect, means that simply seeing or hearing something more often makes it seem more familiar and acceptable, which boosts positive feelings toward it. Our brains become more fluent at recognizing it, and this ease of processing often translates into a warmer, more favorable attitude. In everyday life, you might notice this with faces, melodies, brands, or even ideas—the more you encounter them, the more you tend to like them, up to a point before repetition becomes boring or annoying. Other ideas describe different dynamics. Social Exchange Theory focuses on weighing costs and rewards in social interactions, not on how liking grows from repeated encounters. Companionate Love refers to a deep, steady affection and long-term commitment, rather than a change in liking from exposure. Passionate Love involves intense arousal and idealization at the start of a relationship, not the gradual increase in liking from repeated exposure.

Repeated exposure to a stimulus tends to increase liking because familiarity itself feels safer and easier to process. This idea, known as the mere exposure effect, means that simply seeing or hearing something more often makes it seem more familiar and acceptable, which boosts positive feelings toward it. Our brains become more fluent at recognizing it, and this ease of processing often translates into a warmer, more favorable attitude. In everyday life, you might notice this with faces, melodies, brands, or even ideas—the more you encounter them, the more you tend to like them, up to a point before repetition becomes boring or annoying.

Other ideas describe different dynamics. Social Exchange Theory focuses on weighing costs and rewards in social interactions, not on how liking grows from repeated encounters. Companionate Love refers to a deep, steady affection and long-term commitment, rather than a change in liking from exposure. Passionate Love involves intense arousal and idealization at the start of a relationship, not the gradual increase in liking from repeated exposure.