The influence of stimulus exposure on rated preference: Effects of age, pattern of exposure, and stimulus meaningfulness

The results suggest that for both adults and children, using either high- or low-meaningful stimuli, and either spaced or massed exposure patterns, S s rate stimuli to which they have recently been exposed as less preferred than stimuli with which they has not had recent exposure.

Abstract

It has been reported that the rated preference of stimuli which have recently been exposed to S differs from the rated preference of similar stimuli which have not recently been exposed to S. The present experiment examined the effect of three potentially important variables in determining the magnitude and direction of that difference. The results suggest that for both adults and children, using either high- or low-meaningful stimuli, and either spaced or massed exposure patterns, Ss rate stimuli to which they have recently been exposed as less preferred than stimuli with which they have not had recent exposure. The results are discussed in light of the literature which reports both positive and negative changes in preference following exposure to a stimulus.