Mere exposure effect

This experiment is a psychological one known as the mere exposure effect and was first noted by Gustav Fechner, we however are going to be looking at the experiment done by Charles Goetzinger in 1967 at Oregon State University.

The mere exposure effect is that we become more comfortable with things once we become familiar with them. Which sounds all fine and normal, however what this experiment shows is that becoming familiar to the unknown can show an ugly side of humans.

In the class of Charles Goetzinger everyone was what can be considered normal in that no one was exceptionally odd. But for this quarter Dr. Goetzinger had one of his pupils dress in nothing but a black bag, sit at the back of the class and barely say anything. This ofcourse created an air of suspicion around the rest of the class.

It's the way the class reacts which is what is most shocking, they couldn't stand the black bag! (as he/she was now known) This person was attacked, bullied and even had the media report it with the result that the public also hated the black bag.

Dr. Goetzinger said that - "We always have a frame of reference for events. Then in walks a black bag with a human inside it. Nowhere in our frame of reference has there been such a thing. So we resent"

If your thinking "These students were ridiculous!" yes i would agree this seems so illogical and irrational of them to do. Yet here is just a normal class doing it, why?

Have you ever noticed why humans act differently in a group rather than being on their own? Even to the point of doing things anti social and illegal, riots being a good example. Deindividuation, is what Philip Zimbardo has shown happens. When something is anonymous it is easier to attack or be attacked, in this case being anonymous made you stand out more.

The black bag was de humanized being anonymous allowing it to be easier for people to be uncomfortable around it, because it was one against many in a group it also coupled with this effect to ultimately hate him. Zimbardo did record the opposite of this where people who are anonymous are more likely to inflict pain on those in one of his tests rather than being known. So this leaves our black bag in not a very nice situation. But. The presence to the black bag brought familiarity, exposure which lead to the idea of being used to the black bag because at the end of the day, this was just someone in a black bag no one dangerous or i use the word crazy loosely. Why should they now fear it? The class grew protective of their black bag, so the mere exposure effect took place.

I don't recomend you try the next video out you will have a hard time in court trying to use the mere exposure effect as defense just to get a girlfriend. But it was the only video that kind of got the idea across quickly.