Which of the following is an example of the mere exposure effect?

• A. A person avoids a food after getting sick from eating it once.
• B. A person develops a preference for a song after hearing it repeatedly on the radio.
• C. A person experiences happiness after receiving a compliment from a friend.
• D. A person feels anxious when speaking in public for the first time.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definition of the mere exposure effect. It is a psychological phenomenon where people tend to develop a preference for things simply because they are familiar with them through repeated exposure.
2. Step 2: Analyze each option to see if it involves increased liking or preference due to repeated exposure.
3. Step 3: The first option describes avoidance after a negative experience, which is not related to mere exposure but rather to aversion learning.
4. Step 4: The second option describes developing a preference for a song after hearing it repeatedly, which fits the mere exposure effect because repeated exposure increases liking.
5. Step 5: The third and fourth options describe emotional reactions (happiness and anxiety) that are not related to repeated exposure increasing preference, so they do not illustrate the mere exposure effect.