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The implicit influence of a negative mood on the subliminal mere exposure effect
1Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. aki-kawa@human.tsukuba.ac.jp
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|February 16, 2013
Summary
A negative mood inhibited the mere exposure effect, suggesting emotional states influence evaluations of familiar stimuli. Repeated exposure to images did not increase liking when participants felt negative.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- The mere exposure effect, where repeated exposure increases liking, is well-documented.
- The underlying mechanisms, particularly the influence of emotional states, remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether a negative mood state enhances or inhibits the mere exposure effect.
- To explore the role of emotional states in evaluating repeatedly encountered stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Fifty-two participants were assigned to negative or neutral mood induction groups.
- Participants were repeatedly exposed to a photograph (20 times) after mood induction.
- Implicit attitudes toward the photograph were measured using a single-category Implicit Association Test.
Main Results:
- A significant interaction was observed between mood condition and stimulus exposure.
- In the neutral mood condition, exposed stimuli were evaluated more favorably than unexposed stimuli.
- This mere exposure effect was not observed in the negative mood condition.
Conclusions:
- Negative mood states appear to inhibit the mere exposure effect.
- Emotional states may serve as cues for evaluating ambiguous, repeatedly encountered objects.
- This suggests a modulation of familiarity-based preferences by affective states.
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