TOEFL Speaking Task 3

The mere exposure effect is a psychological phenomenon where people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them. This effect occurs even when the initial exposure is subliminal or not consciously noticed. Repeated exposure to a stimulus, such as a sound, image, or person, increases positive feelings toward it, regardless of the absence of any reward or interaction. Researchers believe this effect is evolutionary, as familiar stimuli often signal safety, while unfamiliar ones may pose risks.

Professor: So, let me give you a classic example. In a study, researchers showed participants a series of Chinese characters. Half of the participants saw the characters repeatedly, but very briefly—so briefly they couldn't even consciously register them. The other half saw the characters only once, also too fast to notice. Later, when asked to rate how much they liked each character, participants consistently gave higher ratings to the characters they had seen multiple times, even though they had no idea they had seen them before. This shows that mere exposure, even without conscious awareness, can increase liking. Another real-life example is hearing a song on the radio. The first time you might be indifferent, but after hearing it several times, you start to enjoy it more, simply because it becomes familiar.