Dissociating mere exposure and repetition priming as a function of word type

Abstract

The mere exposure effect is defined as enhanced attitude toward a stimulus that has been repeatedly exposed. Repetition priming is defined as facilitated processing of a previously exposed stimulus. We conducted a direct comparison between the two phenomena to test the assumption that the mere exposure effect represents an example of repetition priming. In two experiments, having studied a set of words or nonwords, participants were given a repetition priming task (perceptual identification) or one of two mere exposure (affective liking or preference judgment) tasks. Repetition priming was obtained for both words and nonwords, but only nonwords produced a mere exposure effect. This demonstrates a key boundary for observing the mere exposure effect, one not readily accommodated by a perceptual representation systems (Tulving & Schacter, 1990) account, which assumes that both phenomena should show some sensitivity to nonwords and words.

Mere exposure effect: A consequence of direct and indirect fluency–preference links

“…This is consistent with the fluency-attribution account of the mere exposure effect and familiarity-based recognition described above, as well as the idea that the impact of experienced fluency on familiarity and explicit preference may be moderated by indirect factors (e.g., Bornstein & DÕAgostino, 1994;Butler et al, 2004;Reber et al, 2004;Schwarz, 2004a;Van den Bergh & Vrana, 1998). The greater difference between stimuli seems to allow participants to construct expectations about the processing of high-and low-quality stimuli.…”

“…The greater difference between stimuli seems to allow participants to construct expectations about the processing of high-and low-quality stimuli. In this context, people seem not to make their judgment based on a direct assessment of fluency per se, but rather on the fact that the fluent processing occurs under unexpected circumstances (see also Butler et al, 2004). However, these attributional processes seem to be implicit.…”

“…In the same vein, some authors have suggested that, once affective experience is elicited by a fluent processing, its impact on preference judgments may be moderated by indirect attributional processes (e.g., Bornstein & DÕAgostino, 1994;Butler, Berry, & Helman, 2004;Reber et al, 2004;Schwarz, 2004a;Van den Bergh & Vrana, 1998;, cited by Reber et al, 2004. Butler et al (2004) recently obtained a mere exposure effect for nonwords but not for words.…”

“…Butler et al (2004) recently obtained a mere exposure effect for nonwords but not for words. These authors proposed that, in the case of real words, participants may expect to be able to process such stimuli efficiently.…”

“…The first question addressed by this study was whether the impact on explicit preference judgments of enhanced fluency due to pre-exposure (i.e., the mere exposure effect) may be modulated by subjectsÕ expectations about the fluency feeling during their judgment (Butler et al, 2004;Reber et al, 2004). For example, subjectsÕ expectations could be manipulated by different levels of picture quality during the preference judgment.…”