托福口语 Task 3

Mere Exposure Effect refers to the psychological phenomenon where individuals develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them. This effect occurs even when the initial exposure is subliminal or without conscious awareness. Researchers have found that repeated exposure to a stimulus, such as a sound, image, or person, can increase positive feelings toward it. The effect is robust across various contexts and has been demonstrated in numerous experiments, suggesting that familiarity breeds liking, not contempt.

Professor: Now, let me give you an example from a classic study. In the experiment, researchers showed participants a series of abstract shapes on a screen. Each shape appeared for only a few milliseconds—too fast for participants to consciously recognize it. However, some shapes were shown more frequently than others. Later, when participants were shown pairs of shapes—one they had seen before and one completely new—they were asked which one they liked better. Interestingly, participants consistently chose the shapes they had seen more often, even though they had no conscious memory of seeing them. This happened because the repeated exposure, even at a subconscious level, increased their positive feelings toward those shapes. This study clearly demonstrates how the mere exposure effect operates in real life.