Which of the following scenarios is the best example of the mere-exposure effect?

• A. A student starts to prefer a song after hearing it repeatedly on the radio, even though they did not like it at first.
• B. An individual feels anxious when meeting someone new.
• C. A shopper buys a product because it is on sale.
• D. A person chooses a restaurant based on a friend's recommendation.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the mere-exposure effect, which 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 scenario to see if it involves increased preference due to repeated exposure rather than other factors like anxiety, price, or social influence.
3. Step 3: Identify that the scenario where a student starts to prefer a song after hearing it repeatedly on the radio fits the mere-exposure effect because the preference grows from repeated exposure alone.
4. Step 4: Recognize that the other scenarios involve different psychological concepts: anxiety when meeting someone new relates to social anxiety, buying a product on sale relates to economic decision-making, and choosing a restaurant based on a friend's recommendation relates to social influence or conformity.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best example of the mere-exposure effect is the student developing a liking for the song after repeated listening, as it directly illustrates preference formed through familiarity.