Subliminal mere exposure: specific, general, and diffuse effects.
The present research examined the possibility that repeated exposure may simultaneously produce specific and diffuse effects. In Study 1, participants were presented with 5-ms exposures of 25 stimuli each shown once (single-exposure condition) or with five repetitions of 5 stimuli (repeated-exposure condition). Participants in the repeated-exposure condition subsequently rated their own mood more positively than those in the single-exposure condition. Study 2 examined whether affect generated by subliminal repeated exposures transfers to unrelated stimuli. After a subliminal exposure phase, affective reactions to previously exposed stimuli, to new but similar stimuli, and to stimuli from a different category were obtained. Previously exposed stimuli were rated most positively and novel different stimuli least positively. All stimuli were rated more positively in the repeated-exposure condition than in the single-exposure condition. These findings suggest that affect generated by subliminal repeated exposure is sufficiently diffuse to influence ratings of unrelated stimuli and mood.
Monahan
J L
JL
University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. jmonahan@arches.uga.edu
Murphy
S T
ST
Zajonc
R B
RB
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D005260:Female; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D013360:Subliminal Stimulation; D014163:Transfer, Psychology