Effects of Preictability on Preferences

This paper raises the question of whether differential regularity in the repetition of a set of items would elicit a differential regularity in the repetition of a set of items would elicit a differential liking for those items. Two experiments are reported. In the first, 120 participants either leafed through photo albums with pictures of different mugs, checked childrens's answers to a set of psychological intelligence tests, or detected a novel stimulus in a series of nonsense line drawings on a computer. Stimuli included ten target items that repeated nine times, some as part of a fixed series and some in random order. Participants then rated the items for pleasantness or aesthetic value. Results show items that were part of the fixed series were differently rated when placed in different positions within the series. In the second experiment, thirty-four participants watched colorful ancient glass beads presented on a computer monitor and judged the position of the beads' hole. Here a set of thirty beads repeated fifteen times. The beads compromised six fixed series, three of which repeated always in the same order, whereas another three changed positions relative to one another. Participants then indicated which of a pair of beads they liked better. Results show that, when a bead had a high predictive value - predicting the beads that would follow - it was liked more than when it did not. The findings are related to people's sensitivity to temporal regularities, which apparently stems from their constant attempt to predict the upcoming state of affairs.