Question 1

____________ is the characteristic of strong attitudes that we tend to link them to our core values or the self.&#10;A) Importance&#10;B) Extremity&#10;C) Accessibility&#10;D) Ego-involvement

Accepted Answer

Ego-involvement refers to the extent to which an attitude is linked to a person's sense of self or identity. Attitudes that are strongly ego-involved are more likely to be based on core values or beliefs, and therefore are more resistant to change.

Question 2

________ is the principle that individuals push a somewhat disagreeable message away from their attitude, assuming it is more different than it really is.&#10;A) Contrast effect&#10;B) Assimilation&#10;C) Social judgment&#10;D) Ego-involvement

Accepted Answer

Contrast effect is the principle that individuals tend to push a somewhat disagreeable message away from their attitude, assuming it is more different than it really is. This occurs because individuals tend to compare the message to their own attitude, leading them to see greater discrepancies between their attitude and the message than actually exist.

Question 3

The tendency to seek out communications that embrace one's worldview and to prefer information that is consistent with one's overall attitudes is _______.&#10;A) Selective perception&#10;B) Selective exposure&#10;C) Social judgment&#10;D) Priming

Accepted Answer

Selective exposure refers to the tendency to seek out information that is consistent with one's beliefs and attitudes, and to avoid information that challenges them. Selective perception refers to the tendency to interpret information in a way that supports one's pre-existing beliefs. Social judgment refers to the tendency to evaluate information and arguments based on how well they fit with one's existing beliefs, and to reject information that is inconsistent with them. Priming refers to the process by which exposure to a stimulus influences subsequent thoughts and behavior. None of these concepts fully capture the idea of seeking out information that is consistent with one's worldview.

Question 4

The theory that people compare an advocated position with their attitude and then determine whether they should accept the position advocated in the message is called __________.&#10;A) Assimilation&#10;B) Priming&#10;C) Social judgment&#10;D) Attitude accessibility

Accepted Answer

The theory described is social judgment theory, which suggests that individuals compare an advocated position with their attitude and then determine whether they should accept the position advocated in the message. Therefore, the correct answer is C, social judgment.

Question 5

Research shows that __________, such as when the news disproportionately includes crime stories with African-American suspects, can activate pre-existing implicit stereotypes in some individuals by increasing the salience and accessibility of information of thoughts and feelings related to that stereotype. Thus, subsequent behaviors may be influenced by the initial stimulus from the news.

A) Priming
B) Selective exposure
C) Selective perception
D) Social judgment

Accepted Answer

The concept described in the statement is priming, which refers to the activation of pre-existing knowledge or associations in an individual's mind by a particular stimulus, such as the disproportionate news coverage mentioned in the statement. This can influence subsequent behaviors and decisions, even if the individual is unaware of the influence. Selective exposure refers to the tendency of individuals to seek out information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs or attitudes. Selective perception refers to the tendency of individuals to interpret information in a way that confirms their pre-existing beliefs or attitudes. Social judgment refers to the process of evaluating new information and comparing it to pre-existing attitudes and beliefs, which can influence subsequent behavior. While all of these concepts can be relevant in the context of media influence, only priming accurately describes the mechanism described in the statement.

Question 6

Gun control is mentioned several times in this chapter because it is contentious topic that elicits strong attitudes. The shootings in Aurora, Colorado, and Newtown, Connecticut have captured attention, bringing gun control to the center of the political stage. Research on strong attitudes suggests that these tragic, complex events may have been selectively perceived by partisans of different stripes, and perhaps lead to increased polarization of attitudes. Do you agree with this perspective? Why or why not? Provide examples from media coverage to support your response.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Gun control is mentioned several times in...

Question 7

Which approach to strong attitudes do you find the most intriguing: social judgment theory, accessibility theory, or the neuroscience approach? Why? How would you defend against the criticisms of that approach?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which approach to strong attitudes do you...

Question 8

Do you find information in this chapter to be encouraging or discouraging for persuaders? Defend your position.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Do you find information in this chapter...

Deck 5: The Power of Our Passsions: Theory and Research on Strong Attitudes