Recognition memory and the mere exposure effect.

Repeated exposure to novel stimuli tends to make the stimuli better liked. Examined here is the relation between this increment in liking and recognition of the stimuli. An attempt was made to replicate findings taken as evidence that liking is used as a basis for inferring prior exposure and thus for making recognition decisions (e.g., M. W. Matlin [see PA, Vol 47:2160] and R. L. Moreland and R. B. Zajonc [see PA, Vol 62:3545]). The claim was not supported. Although in each of five experiments liking and recognition were positively correlated, liking was less sensitive to prior exposure than was recognition. Moreover, statistical anaylses suggested that if liking and recognition were causally related, recognition mediated liking rather than the other way around. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)