Fortifying Your New Direction

It’s discouraging to toil away at something that’s meaningful to you and not receive any recognition. You start to think, “What’s the point? Why bother when no one else seems to care?” But that is the exact moment when this will help: the mere exposure effect. 

What is the mere exposure effect?  It’s a psychological concept that was first noted in the 1960’s. It says that even if people don’t like something at first, repeated exposure to it will increase their tolerance and may eventually lead to them preferring that thing.* 

A Key Component Of Marketing

Advertisers use the mere exposure effect all the time to influence our decisions about which cookie to buy, or what fashion trend to follow. They know that familiarity makes it easier for us to feel comfortable choosing something new. I think of the first time I heard about someone staying at an AirBnB. It seemed very unusual compared to a hotel, or bed and breakfast. But now, it’s part of my accommodation choices on a vacation. It’s familiar.

“By bombarding consumers with advertisements in which a company’s logo is presented, buyers begin to trust the brand. This trust may occur even if they have learned nothing new or substantive about the brand.”*

Applied To Your New Direction

Your new project or passion is just that: it’s new to you. That means that those around you are not used to you doing this. It’s new to them too. However, just with repeated exposure to you doing your new work, they may eventually appreciate it. That’s quite an impact for someone just observing what you’re doing! So don’t stop now. You’re building something amazing and others are watching and learning. The mere exposure to your new work is building familiarity.

How has the mere exposure effect impacted your decisions lately? Comment below.

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*https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/general/what-is-the-mere-exposure-effect/

Please Note: Of course, the mere exposure effect creates bias and can lead to very poor decision making where all the facts are ignored in favour of familiarity.** But it also has a positive side.

**https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/mere-exposure-effect

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