Cognitive Bias: Mere Exposure Effect Bias

Principal Category: Cognitive Biases

Author:
•  Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

The Mere Exposure Effect is a psychological bias where repeated exposure to a stimulus increases an individual’s preference for it. Scammers exploit this effect to build trust with victims by establishing frequent, low-stakes interactions that foster familiarity and likability. This repeated exposure reduces cognitive load, making the scammer appear more trustworthy and less suspicious. During the scam, continuous interactions further lower the victim’s defenses, increasing compliance with the scammer’s requests. Even after the scam is revealed, victims may struggle with emotional conflict due to the established familiarity, complicating their ability to accept the deception and report the crime. Understanding the Mere Exposure Effect is crucial for preventing scams and aiding victims, emphasizing the importance of awareness, critical thinking, and strong support systems to mitigate the impact of this cognitive bias. This understanding can help individuals recognize manipulative patterns and maintain a healthy level of skepticism, even towards familiar individuals.

The Mere Exposure Effect: Understanding the Cognitive Bias that Lowers Our Guard and Makes Things and People Preferred Just Because We See Them Often

What is the Mere Exposure Effect?

The Mere Exposure Effect is a psychological phenomenon or cognitive bias where people tend to develop a preference for things simply because they are familiar with them. This bias was first identified by psychologist Robert Zajonc in the 1960s.

The Mere Exposure Effect suggests that repeated exposure to a stimulus, whether it’s a person, product, or concept, increases an individual’s likelihood of developing a favorable attitude toward it. The effect is grounded in the idea that familiarity breeds comfort and likability, making unfamiliar stimuli less appealing and potentially threatening.

How the Mere Exposure Effect Works

The Mere Exposure Effect operates through several cognitive processes:

Familiarity and Comfort: Repeated exposure to a stimulus reduces uncertainty and increases predictability, which the brain finds comforting. This comfort can lead to positive feelings towards the stimulus.

Reduced Cognitive Load: Familiar stimuli require less cognitive effort to process. Since the brain prefers to conserve energy, familiar things are perceived more positively because they are easier to remember, understand, and categorize.

Positive Reinforcement: Each positive or neutral encounter with a stimulus reinforces a favorable response, gradually building a stronger preference over time.

Habituation: As exposure increases, the stimulus becomes a regular part of the individual’s environment. This regularity further cements the positive feelings associated with it.

The Mere Exposure Effect and Scam Victims

Before the Scam – Luring

Before the scam begins, scammers use the Mere Exposure Effect to their advantage by establishing frequent, low-stakes interactions with the potential victim. This can include sending friendly messages, engaging in casual conversations, or regularly appearing in the victim’s social media feeds. These interactions serve to make the scammer appear familiar and trustworthy.

Building Trust: Initial interactions are often benign and pleasant, designed to create a sense of familiarity. Over time, this repeated exposure builds trust and reduces the victim’s suspicion.

Creating a Positive Image: Scammers try to share relatable or appealing content to create a positive image, making the victim more likely to view them favorably.

During the Scam – Grooming & Manipulation

Once the scam is underway, the Mere Exposure Effect continues to play a crucial role. The scammer’s ongoing interactions help maintain and strengthen the established trust and familiarity.

Increased Compliance: As the victim becomes more familiar with the scammer, they are more likely to comply with requests or demands, believing they are helping a friend or trusted individual.

Lowered Defenses: Continuous exposure to the scammer can lower the victim’s defenses, making them less likely to critically evaluate the scammer’s requests or notice red flags.

After the Scam

Even after the scam is revealed, the Mere Exposure Effect can still influence the victim’s emotions and responses.

Emotional Conflict: Victims might experience conflicting emotions due to the established familiarity and trust – this can result in cognitive dissonance. This can complicate their ability to accept that they were deceived.

Reluctance to Report: The positive feelings built up over time might make victims reluctant to report the scammer, as they might still feel some residual trust or sympathy.

Implications for Scam Prevention and Recovery

Understanding the Mere Exposure Effect is crucial for both preventing scams and aiding victims in recovery. Here are some strategies:

Awareness and Education: Teaching individuals about this cognitive bias can help them recognize when they might be overly trusting someone simply due to familiarity.

Critical Thinking: Encouraging a mindset of critical evaluation, even with familiar individuals, can help people maintain a healthy level of skepticism.

Support Systems: Providing victims with strong support systems can help them process their emotions and recognize that their positive feelings were a result of manipulation, not genuine trustworthiness.

Summary

In summary, the Mere Exposure Effect can significantly impact scam victims by creating a sense of trust and comfort through repeated interactions. Recognizing this cognitive bias is essential in both preventing scams and supporting victims in their recovery.

Important Information for New Scam Victims

• See more at www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims