Thinking, Fast and Slow · Daniel Kahneman

The mere exposure effect examples

Curated by · reviewed 2026-06-01

The mere-exposure effect is how we come to prefer things simply because we've encountered them before — familiarity alone increases liking. Examples:

What is the mere exposure effect? Read the full idea →

5 examples of the mere exposure effect

  1. Songs that grow on you

    A track you disliked becomes a favourite after a few more plays.

  2. Ad repetition

    Brands run the same ad over and over because seeing it breeds liking and trust.

  3. The colleague you warm to

    Someone you first found odd becomes likeable just from seeing them daily.

  4. Mirror vs photo

    You prefer the mirror-version of your face you see most; friends prefer the photo they see most.

  5. Familiar logos win

    On the shelf, the brand you've seen before feels safer than an unknown one.

How to spot it in yourself

You'll forget most of this by next week.

That's just how memory works. Lock the mere exposure effect in with a 5-minute active-recall session — spaced repetition, no signup.

Try this idea free →

One tap adds it to your review queue — we bring it back right before you'd forget.

Related ideas