Deck 7: Learning

Question 1

Suzy is interested in purchasing a DVD player, and is overwhelmed by the many different models available at her local electronics store. She decides to purchase a shiny, metallic-looking model, as it is the best-looking one in the store. Suzy has been persuaded to purchase this particular DVD player because of the _____ route to persuasion.

A) peripheral
B) central
C) logical
D) factual

Answer 1

peripheral

Question 2

In the context of persuasion, the factor that determines if we call attempts at persuasion "education" or "propaganda" is whether or not

A) we believe them.
B) we know the communicator.
C) the message is emotional in tone.
D) the message is one-sided.

Answer 2

we believe them.

Question 3

Which of the following must take place before a message is likely to persuade?

A) attention to the message
B) peripheral processing
C) central processing
D) education rather than propaganda

Answer 3

attention to the message

Question 4

We are more likely to be persuaded by the _____ route to persuasion when we are distracted or busy.

A) peripheral
B) central
C) logical
D) factual

Question 5

If people remember the message better than the reason for discounting it, the impact of a noncredible person may _____ over time.

A) fade
B) stay the same
C) increase
D) decrease

Question 6

In the context of persuasion, education is more _____, whereas propaganda is more _____.

A) coercive; factual
B) important; useful
C) factual; coercive
D) useful; important

Question 7

_____ route processing more slowly builds implicit attitudes through repeated associations between an attitude object and an emotion.

A) Peripheral
B) Central
C) Logical
D) Factual

Question 8

Sally is interested in purchasing a DVD player and is overwhelmed by the many different models available at her local electronics store. She decides to consult a magazine devoted to reviewing the quality of home electronics. After reading a number of articles stating the pros and cons of each model, she decides on a DVD player. Sally has been persuaded to purchase this particular DVD player because of the _____ route to persuasion.

A) peripheral
B) central
C) logical
D) partial

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT one of the primary elements of persuasion that social psychologists have studied?

A) the communicator
B) the context
C) the message
D) the audience

Question 10

When an initially discounted message becomes effective, a delayed impact of the message occurs. This is called the _____.

A) paradox
B) short-term memory
C) sleeper effect
D) longevity

Question 11

_____ is the process by which a message induces change in beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors.

A) Compliance
B) Persuasion
C) Inoculation
D) Perseverance

Question 12

In the context of paths that lead to persuasion, smart advertisers tend to adopt marketing strategies that use the _____ route to persuasion on television to change their customer's thinking.

A) peripheral
B) central
C) logical
D) factual

Question 13

Individuals who are typically regarded as thinking people may be inclined to use the peripheral route to persuasion if

A) the speaker is young and vibrant.
B) the speaker seems to have ulterior motives.
C) the speaker has apparently good motives.
D) they are paid to do so.

Question 14

The _____ route to persuasion occurs when interested people focus on arguments.

A) peripheral
B) central
C) logical
D) partial

Question 15

Which route to persuasion is most likely to create long-lasting attitudes and behavioral changes?

A) peripheral
B) central
C) logical
D) partial

Question 16

Lately, you have noticed that your favorite athlete is on your cereal box, highway billboards for sports beverages, and television commercials for running shoes. What type of marketing strategy is being used to persuade you to purchase these products?

A) intelligent
B) savvy
C) central route
D) peripheral route

Question 17

_____ occurs when we remember the message but forget the reason for discounting it.

A) Delayed reaction
B) Short-term memory
C) Sleeper effect
D) Attitude inoculation

Question 18

Which one of the following is NOT one of the conditions under which a thinking person would adopt the peripheral route to persuasion?

A) when there is a lack of time and interest
B) when the speaker is articulate
C) when the speaker has several arguments
D) when the arguments are strong and compelling

Question 19

The _____ route to persuasion occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness.

A) peripheral
B) central
C) logical
D) factual

Question 20

Central route processing often _____ explicit attitudes.

A) has no effect on
B) swiftly changes
C) slowly changes
D) never changes

Question 21

When people allowed the example of others to validate how to think, feel, and act, Cialdini (2008) called this the _____ principle of persuasion.

A) liking
B) authority
C) social proof
D) scarcity

Question 22

When people tended to honor their public commitments, Cialdini (2008) called this the _____ principle of persuasion.

A) liking
B) authority
C) social proof
D) consistency

Question 23

Researchers have found that trustworthiness is _____ if the audience believes the communicator is NOT trying to persuade them.

A) lower
B) higher
C) average
D) absent

Question 24

Bailenson and Yee's research with virtual social reality found a "person" whose expressions and movements echoed the participant was

A) not liked but was persuasive.
B) liked and was persuasive.
C) not liked and was not persuasive.
D) liked but was not persuasive.

Question 25

Which of the following is most likely to improve persuasion?

A) when the communicator maintains direct eye contact with the audience
B) when the audience believe that the communicator is trying to persuade them
C) when the communicator says "you know" and "uh" often while speaking
D) when the communicator has someone else convey his or her expertise

Question 26

Alicia has a fairly weak case to present to her supervisor. In order to be more persuasive, she should

A) arouse a small amount of fear.
B) put him in a good mood.
C) convince him that her arguments are strong.
D) argue her own self-interests.

Question 27

A message about tooth brushing from a dentist is more persuading than the same message from a student who has done a project on dental hygiene. This reflects the credibility of the communicator through

A) perceived expertise.
B) perceived attractiveness.
C) speaking style.
D) body language.

Question 28

An audience is more likely to perceive a speaker as credible when the speaker

A) avoids eye contact.
B) talks slowly.
C) avoids being straightforward.
D) argues against his or her self-interest.

Question 29

Whether pitching a business plan or giving advice, a(n) _____ is often more convincing.

A) charismatic person who speaks fluently
B) power-oriented authoritative person
C) overconfident person who occasionally stumbles
D) person who says "you know" or "uh" frequently

Question 30

The Harry Potter series was not expected to be a best seller. It was kids talking to other kids that made it so. This shows the effect of _____ on persuasion.

A) personal influence
B) media influence
C) educational influence
D) expert influence

Question 31

Who is the most responsive to rational appeals?

A) well-educated and analytical people
B) well-educated and non-analytical people
C) less educated and analytical people
D) less educated and non-analytical people

Question 32

Arguments, especially emotional ones, are often more influential when they come from beautiful people. This exemplifies which characteristic of attractiveness?

A) liking
B) similarity
C) consistency
D) physical appeal

Question 33

When a choice concerns matters of personal value or taste, _____ communicators have more influence.

A) dissimilar
B) expert
C) attractive
D) energetic

Question 34

When people deferred to credible experts, Cialdini (2008) called this the _____ principle of persuasion.

A) liking
B) authority
C) social proof
D) reciprocity

Question 35

Abelson and his colleagues (1982) found that voting preferences in the United States could be reasonably predicted from voters'

A) political party of choice.
B) geographical residence.
C) beliefs about the candidates' traits and likely behaviors.
D) emotional reactions to the candidates.

Question 36

We tend to like people who are like us. This exemplifies which characteristic of attractiveness?

A) proximity
B) similarity
C) consistency
D) physical appeal

Question 37

Communicators gain credibility if they appear to be _____.

A) expert and trustworthy
B) powerful and dominant
C) slow and hesitant
D) persuasive and shrewd

Question 38

Credibility in a speaker includes all of the following EXCEPT

A) someone speaking confidently.
B) being introduced as knowledgeable.
C) saying things that the audience agrees with.
D) someone speaking hesitantly.

Question 39

An economist predicts an economic breakdown in a country. His message is initially discounted because people are resistant to change their thought process. However, during economic breakdown, people acknowledge the economist's message and take his advice to counter the consequences of economic breakdown. This is an example of _____.

A) the sleeper effect
B) the inoculation effect
C) the neutral effect
D) the curvilinear effect

Question 40

Perceived trustworthiness includes all of the following behaviors EXCEPT

A) the communicator has someone else convey his or her expertise.
B) the audience believes the communicator is trying to persuade them.
C) the communicator argues against his or her own self-interest.
D) the communicator talks fast.

Question 41

Studies have shown that if people are aware of opposing arguments, a(n) _____ presentation is more persuasive and enduring.

A) one-sided
B) two-sided
C) discrepant
D) unambiguous

Question 42

When Werner and her colleagues (2002) placed signs on a campus with a two-sided message that not only stated the importance of recycling but also acknowledged the inconvenience of it, recycling

A) increased to 80 percent.
B) increased to 25 percent.
C) decreased by 40 percent.
D) decreased by 90 percent.

Question 43

When Asch (1946) presented students with a description of someone as "intelligent, industrious, impulsive, critical, stubborn, and envious," they rated the person more positively than if the opposite order of adjectives was presented. This demonstrates the _____ effect.

A) recency
B) primacy
C) channel
D) sleeper

Question 44

Since Carmen is not a particularly prestigious or authoritative source on exercise, she should encourage her father to exercise by suggesting he

A) completely overhaul his lifestyle.
B) complete a fitness program.
C) begin doing some limited exercises.
D) consult with a local gym.

Question 45

The process by which media influence often occurs through opinion leaders, who in turn influence others, is referred to as

A) the sleeper effect.
B) an indirect channel of communication.
C) the opinion leader effect.
D) a two-step flow of communication.

Question 46

Bill is a car salesman. He is trying to sell a moderately expensive car to a client. In order to use the door-in-the-face technique effectively, Bill must _____.

A) quote a high price first and reduce it later
B) make an initial offer and increase the price later
C) use a one-sided argument to convince
D) quote one price and stick to it

Question 47

Studies comparing different sources of media found that the more _____ the media, the more persuasive the message.

A) positive
B) negative
C) lifelike
D) intense

Question 48

Myra needs to ask her husband to buy her a gift. Which of the following strategies used by Myra reflects the lowball technique?

A) Myra lets her husband know how much she loves him.
B) Myra asks her husband to take her out some day.
C) Myra cooks good dinner for her husband when he comes home late.
D) Myra takes her husband out for a dinner.

Question 49

When Asch (1946) presented students with a description of someone as "intelligent, industrious, impulsive, critical, stubborn, and envious," they rated the person _____ than if the opposite order of adjectives was presented.

A) less positively
B) more positively
C) less attractive
D) more attractive

Question 50

The _____ effect refers to how information that is presented first usually has the most influence.

A) recency
B) primacy
C) channel
D) initial

Question 51

Researchers found that difficult messages are most persuasive when _____, and easy messages are most persuasive when _____.

A) audiotaped; videotaped
B) spoken; written
C) written; videotaped
D) given slowly; given quickly

Question 52

Forgetting creates the recency effect when

A) enough time separates the two messages.
B) there is little time between the two messages.
C) the two messages are back to back.
D) there are two opposing messages.

Question 53

The _____ effect refers to how information that is presented last can have the most influence.

A) recency
B) primacy
C) channel
D) final

Question 54

Fear-arousing messages work best when they

A) do not suggest a solution.
B) try to prevent a bad outcome, such as cancer.
C) try to promote a good outcome, such as fitness.
D) are framed in a positive manner.

Question 55

When two messages are back to back, followed by a time gap, the _____ effect usually occurs.

A) recency
B) primacy
C) channel
D) sleeper

Question 56

In your marketing class, your assignment is to create an advertisement that will encourage people to buy condom X over condom Y. Given your knowledge of persuasion, which strategy would be most effective?

A) an ad that reads "AIDS kills," along with a suggestion that condom X prevents it
B) an ad that reads "AIDS kills," along with a suggestion that condom Y does not prevent it
C) an ad that suggests condom X prevents AIDS
D) an ad that suggests condom Y does not prevent AIDS

Question 57

The way a message is delivered is what social psychologists refer to as the _____ of communication.

A) style
B) route
C) channel
D) method

Question 58

What is the effect of a fear-arousing communication?

A) Fear renders a communication ineffective.
B) Generally, the more frightened people are, the more they respond.
C) Evoking a low level of fear is effective, but producing a high level of fear is not.
D) Fear appeals are effective with women but boomerang with men.

Question 59

Which of the following illustrates media influence through a two-step flow of communication?

A) A teenager buys a video game she saw advertised both on television and in her favorite magazine.
B) A domestic car manufacturer sponsors a television program about the defectiveness of many foreign imports.
C) A candidate for political office answers questions from members of a studio audience on live television.
D) A man buys a new laundry detergent after having it recommended by a friend, who had read that it was both effective and environmentally safe in a consumer magazine article.

Question 60

Fear-arousing messages are most effective when they

A) cause only mild fear.
B) involve pleasurable activities.
C) offer a preventive strategy.
D) are overwhelming.

Question 61

The Bennington College study revealed that

A) views embraced at an impressionable time fade over a lifetime of experience.
B) college makes "good little liberals" out of us all.
C) college produces liberals out of 75 percent of its students.
D) views embraced at an impressionable time often survive a lifetime of experience.

Question 62

People tend to have different social and political attitudes depending on their age because attitudes change as people grow older. This refers to the _____ explanation for how age plays a role in persuasion.

A) situational
B) life cycle
C) cognitive
D) social proof

Question 63

Macy prefers classes with professors who are visually appealing and entertaining, rather than classes with professors who are knowledgeable and effective communicators. Macy is probably _____ in the need for cognition.

A) low
B) average
C) high
D) slightly above average

Question 64

Research has concluded that stimulating thinking makes stronger messages _____ persuasive and (because of counterarguing) weak messages _____ persuasive.

A) less; more
B) more; less
C) moderately; equally
D) partially; extremely

Question 65

In the context of need for cognition, the most effective instructors

A) present information as simply as possible.
B) use fear-provoking tests to encourage study.
C) get their students to think actively.
D) are attractive and engaging.

Question 66

Inoculation research suggests that children

A) are not persuaded by television advertising.
B) fail to grasp the persuasive intent of commercials.
C) use the central route to persuasion.
D) are skeptical of television advertising.

Question 67

People tend to have different social and political attitudes depending on their age because the attitudes older people adopted when they were young persist through life largely unchanged. This refers to the _____ explanation for how age plays a role in persuasion.

A) generational
B) life cycle
C) cognitive
D) social proof

Question 68

Whether a one-sided or two-sided message is more persuasive depends on all of the following EXCEPT

A) whether the audience already agrees with the message.
B) whether the audience is unaware of opposing arguments.
C) whether the audience thinks information is being shared in an appropriate way.
D) whether the audience is unlikely later to consider the opposition.

Question 69

Credible communicators have the best success in persuading. These are people that do all of the following EXCEPT

A) speak unhesitatingly.
B) look listeners in the eye.
C) appear trustworthy.
D) argue with their own self-interest.

Question 70

Identify a true statement about resisting persuasion.

A) Belief in an assertion is a consequence of thorough research.
B) To understand an assertion is to believe it, at least temporarily.
C) An assertion is a beginning of belief.
D) Believing an assertion can lead to perceptual errors.

Question 71

Which of the following is NOT an element of persuasion?

A) the communicator
B) the channel
C) the audience
D) the place

Question 72

In the context of strengthening personal commitment, the right way to stimulate people's thinking so that they become more committed to their positions is to

A) mildly attack their position.
B) strongly attack their position.
C) mildly support their position.
D) strongly support their position.

Question 73

Nora, a single mom, needs to ask her parents for money. To minimize their objections to her request, she should

A) warn them ahead of time of her need.
B) have her busy, distracting little toddler along when she makes her request.
C) write out her request for them to consider.
D) ask them on the telephone.

Question 74

People who are quick to respond to peripheral cues, such as a communicator's attractiveness, are _____ in the need for cognition.

A) low
B) average
C) high
D) slightly above average

Question 75

In surveys conducted on groups of younger and older people over several years, the results supported the _____ explanation for how age plays a role in persuasion.

A) generational
B) life cycle
C) cognitive
D) social proof

Question 76

The motivation to think and analyze is referred to as the need for

A) contemplation.
B) inoculation.
C) cognition.
D) sublimation.

Question 77

Darla wants to persuade her parents to help pay for a study trip abroad. She will have a more difficult time succeeding if

A) her parents are forewarned of her intent to convince them.
B) she has the trip coordinator call to convince them.
C) her parents are not particularly analytical.
D) her parents have a moderate level of self-esteem.

Question 78

Chaiken and Eagly (1976) found that when a message was difficult to comprehend, persuasion was greatest when the message was

A) written.
B) spoken.
C) nonverbal.
D) videotaped.

Question 79

Which statement is NOT true about the best way to deal with media information?

A) The more lifelike the medium, the more persuasive the message.
B) Messages are best comprehended and recalled when written.
C) When the message is difficult to comprehend, it is best written.
D) Messages are best comprehended and recalled when spoken.

Question 80

Exposing people to weak attacks on their attitudes so that when stronger attacks come, they will have refutations available is known as

A) central route persuasion.
B) attitude inoculation.
C) psychological reactance.
D) the boomerang effect.