February 15/11

I stopped this morning to take a picture of this horse.  I drive by him every morning...he is a familiar sight. This farm had a fire a couple of years ago and people actually stopped and posted signs "Is the horse OK?". It made me ask, why do we get so attached to things we become familiar with?  There is actually something in social psychology called "the familiarity principle".  In studies of interpersonal attraction, the more often a person or thing is seen by someone, the more pleasing and likeable that person appears to be. The earliest known research on the exposure effect was conducted by Gustav Fechner in 1876.  Edward B. Titchener also documented the effect and described the "glow of warmth" one feels when in the presence of something that is familiar.  That's why I feel such a connection to this horse that I have never even touched before.  

Very interesting...



CLYDE