2.3 Fluency

Question 1

Processing fluency

Answer 1

Experienced ease while executing certain cognitive activities

Question 2

Definition: Mere-Exposure-Effect

Answer 2

Mere repeated exposure to a stimulus object enhances the attitude toward it.

By “mere exposure” is meant a condition which just makes the given stimulus accessible to the individual’s perception.

• People tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them

Question 3

Mere-Exposure-Effect:

Possible Theoretical Explanations

Answer 3

Two approaches:

Affect-based Hedonic Fluency Model (HFM)

• positive affect because of the sign for prominence and harmlessness
• successful memory and interpretation as a positive experience
• „affect-as-information” or conditioning


Opposite: “If I don’t understand it, it must be new “- Heuristic

Cognition-based Perceptual Fluency-Misattribution Theory:

frequent exposition to a stimulus increases perceptual fluency


• (A) Real cause (prior exposition) of higher perceptual fluency is not conscious: misattribution on e.g. liking the stimulus, higher attraction, perceived fame and others

• (B) real cause is conscious: automatic, effortless correction process, devaluation
• ease of processing is an affectively neutral, arousal-like experience
• which influences extremity of evaluation

Question 4

• False Fame Effect
• Imagery Fluency
• Truth Effect

Answer 4

False-Fame-Effect:

• Names that are perceived as known are wrongly identified as famous persons
• Famousness is perceived fast and unconcsious

Imagery Fluency:

​Concrete pictures seem to reach better results

• Depending on associations
• and personal experience

Truth-Effect:

• Arguments already heard before are perceived to be more credible (FREQUENCY OF CONTACT)
• Repeated message exposure leads to processing fluency which is misattributed for truthfulness

People tend to believe a message because they hear it often

Question 5

Consequences of Fluency (Neutral)

Answer 5

Question 6

Consequences of Fluency (Positive)

Answer 6