THE MERE EXPOSURE EFFECT IS BASED ON IMPLICIT MEMORY - EFFECTS OF STIMULUS TYPE, ENCODING CONDITIONS, AND NUMBER OF EXPOSURES ON RECOGNITION AND AFFECT JUDGMENTS

Research by D. L. Schacter and L. A. Cooper (e.g., Schacter et al., 1990, 1991) has shown that certain variables can dissociate explicit and implicit memory on recognition and object decision tests. If the same type of implicit memory representation is used in the affective preference test as in the object decision test, similar dissociations should occur for recognition and affect judgments. In 3 experiments the authors found a number of dissociations. However, unlike previous research that found object decision priming only for possible figures, a mere exposure effect was observed for possible and impossible figures. The authors conclude that the mere exposure effect is based on implicit memory, but it can be based on a different type of implicit memory representation than that used for object decision priming. D. L. Schacter and L. A. Cooper's conception of a structural description system was used to describe the findings and to provide a new interpretation of the mere exposure effect.