Mere Exposure Effect and Applied Choice between Equivalent Alternatives

Objectives. We examined possibility to use mere exposure effect (MEE) as driving force to take one of equal object as fee and to extend MEE to partly familiar objects. Background. Potency of the MEE in the marketing literature is underestimated. Study design. Participants were well acquainted with a geometrical symbol unobtrusive presented at all entrances of the campus, where all participants could see it though not everyone recognize that. After the time (10 or 60 min.) as a fee for a survey, participants were allowed to pick one of three chocolates that differed by a symbol depicted on the cover. One symbol was as presented at the campus entrance, the second was a similar shape and the third one was totally different. After all participants ranked geometrical symbols by liking to proof the MEE presence. Participants. 18 male 42 female students from 2 Moscow universities Measurements. Pearson’s Chi-squared test and 1-way between subjects ANOVA. Results. MEE motivated participants to take a chocolate with a symbol on the cover that looked similar to known one more often, even though participants might acknowledge a really familiar symbol. Chocolates with the exact or totally unfamiliar symbols were picked rarely. Conclusions. MEE is extendable to partly familiar objects and can be used for promotion of everyday goods, similar in terms of consumer goals. Results support Berlyne’s explanatory models of MEE and provide new insight why recognition inhibits MEE.