Dissociating mere exposure and repetition priming as a function of word type.
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.
Butler
Laurie T
LT
School of Psychology, University of Reading, Reading, England. l.t.butler@reading.ac.uk
Berry
Dianne C
DC
Helman
Shaun
S
D000339:Affect; D006801:Humans; D010507:Periodicity; D013067:Speech Perception; D014825:Vocabulary