👁️ The Mere Exposure Effect

Why do people choose familiar brands over better ones? Why does that song grow on you? Why does the colleague you see daily seem more trustworthy? It's not logic. It's exposure.

In 1968, psychologist Robert Zajonc showed people Chinese characters they'd never seen before. Some characters appeared once, others up to 25 times. When asked which characters meant 'good things,' participants consistently chose the ones they'd seen most often. They had no idea why. The mere exposure effect explains why we trust familiar faces, prefer songs after repeated listens, and buy brands we recognize. Familiarity feels like safety. And we're wired to choose safety.

Show up consistently. The entrepreneur who posts daily beats the one who posts brilliantly but rarely. The consultant who checks in monthly stays top of mind when opportunities arise. You don't need to be the best option — you need to be the familiar option. Frequency beats intensity.

There's a limit. Zajonc found that exposure works best when it's subtle and not forced. Overexposure breeds annoyance, not affection. The sweet spot is being present enough to be familiar, but not so present that you become wallpaper. Think of it as background music: noticed, pleasant, never intrusive.