The effects of repeated exposures on choice behavior
Description
This dissertation describes three laboratory experiments that observe how an individual's choice behavior is affected by repeated exposures of stimuli and by manipulation of the order in which stimuli occur in a series. Based on Wells and Chinsky's (1965) original studies and Strong's (2002) extension of their work, this study replicates the 2002 study in a different country, and adds two variations by changing the type of stimuli and the manner of their presentation. Additional independent variables were introduced into the original Wells and Chinsky methodology, such as exposure length, contrasting colors, and response latencies, as well as the presentation of stimuli in evenly spaced and massed series. Findings tend to support the hypotheses that a different cultural environment does not significantly alter the results of Strong's extension; that the change of stimuli from numbers to less abstract images like food icons does not significantly affect results; that massed exposures produce a more favorable choice pattern than spaced exposures; and that a stimulus placed last in a stream is more likely to increase choice frequency for massed exposures than for spaced exposures. These results represent a first step toward future analysis of the effects of these manipulations on choice patterns for the more complex types of messages used in advertising