Mere exposure effect
Also known as Familiarity principle
The tendency to like things more simply because we have encountered them before. Repeated contact makes something feel safe and pleasant, even without any new information about it.
In everyday life
A song you found annoying the first time grows on you after hearing it on the radio every morning.
Picking a partner for a project, you choose a coworker you've never really spoken to but pass in the hallway every day over an equally skilled stranger from another office.
Why your mind does this
We take in far more than we can handle, so the brain uses what is already active in memory as a filter. Things we met recently, often, or with strong feeling are likely to matter again, so pushing them forward saves time and effort.
Its family, in 30 seconds: Primed & repeated
How to spot it
Notice when your preference for a brand, person, or idea rests mainly on having seen it a lot.
How to counter it
Compare options on specific criteria you write down in advance, so recognition alone can't tip the choice.
Same family: Primed & repeated
SourcesZajonc (1968)·Wikipedia