
Repeatedly seeing or interacting with someone can increase how positively familiar they feel—a phenomenon related to the mere-exposure effect.
This can contribute to attraction, especially when the initial interactions aren't negative.
But familiarity doesn't automatically mean two people have compatible values, goals, or relationship expectations.
Someone can feel unusually comfortable simply because they've become a regular part of your environment.
“Being comfortable with them” and “building a good life with them” are related questions, but they aren't identical.
© Association for Psychological Science