The mere exposure effect is our tendency to like things, people or ideas more simply because we've encountered them before. Familiarity on its own, with no other positive experience attached, is enough to raise our preference.
You see it in the song that left you indifferent at first and that you're humming after a few listens, or the colleague who seemed neutral to you and whom you gradually find likeable. Advertisers know this well: repeating a logo builds a sense of trust without a single argument.
Psychologically, the familiar reassures us because it demands less mental effort and feels safer. This has a darker side too: we may stay in situations, habits or relationships not because they're good for us, but because they're known to us. Familiarity is easily mistaken for safety.
Noticing this helps you tell "I like it" apart from "I've gotten used to it." If you feel that habit keeps you on paths that don't express who you are, a space for reflection can help; see our services.