Deck 14: Group Influence and Communication

Question 1

Opinion leaders are differentiated from their peers by their:

A) role commitment.
B) social class.
C) interest in the product category.
D) authoritarian personalities.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Marketers find it useful to classify groups along all of the following dimensions except:

A) membership.
B) type of contact.
C) level of aggregation.
D) degree of attraction.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Informal communication between consumers about goods and services is called word of mouth.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A group is broadly defined as an aggregate of individuals sharing some common innate characteristic.

Question 5

Aspirational reference groups, which are non-membership groups with a positive attraction, exert a strong influence for some products.

Question 6

The Asch experiments, or Asch phenomenon, demonstrate the evolution of aspiration groups.

Question 7

Aspirational reference groups are:

A) non-membership groups with a negative attraction.
B) membership groups with a positive attraction.
C) non-membership groups with a positive attraction.
D) membership groups with a negative attraction.

Question 8

A norm is a sanction imposed on an individual for violating a group role.

Question 9

An innovation, the adoption of which would require a major change in an area of behaviour of importance to the individual, is known as:

A) a discontinuous innovation.
B) a dynamically continuous innovation.
C) an interval innovation.
D) a continuous innovation.

Question 10

Whether or not a given product is an innovation is determined by:

A) an objective measure of technological change.
B) the research and development department's opinion.
C) the perceptions of the potential market.
D) the length of time that it has been on the market.

Question 11

An individual tends to be an opinion leader:

A) for a wide range of products.
B) only for certain brands within a product category.
C) only for specific product or activity clusters.
D) for all brands within a specific product category.

Question 12

A 'brand community' involves a shared sense of belonging among its members.

Question 13

Role style refers to individual variations in the performance of a given role.

Question 14

In general, the adopter category that is composed of local opinion leaders is the:

A) late majority.
B) innovators.
C) early majority.
D) early adopters.

Question 15

The degree of reference group influence on product or brand usage is, in part, a function of the individual's perceived confidence in her/his purchase skills.

Question 16

Necessities and items that are visibly used typically entail a high degree of reference group influence.

Question 17

'Role parameter' refers to individual variations in the performance of a given role.

Question 18

A person who consistently filters, interprets and/or provides information to other group members is _________________.

A) a filter agent
B) an opinion leader
C) a step generator
D) a busybody

Question 19

All of the following are important perceived attributes of the innovation that affect its rate of diffusion except:

A) fulfilment of felt need.
B) displacement.
C) complexity.
D) observability.

Question 20

One is most likely to seek an opinion leader when one's:

A) product involvement and product knowledge are high.
B) product involvement is low and product knowledge is high.
C) product involvement and product knowledge are low.
D) product involvement is high and product knowledge is low.

Question 21

After a general target market is selected, the strategy whereby the firm initially focuses on those individuals within the target market most likely to be innovators and early adopters is called:

A) market research based on a stage in the product life cycle.
B) a 'moving target market' approach.
C) a 'stable target market' approach.
D) product positioning based on a stage in the product life cycle.

Question 22

A person who adopts a group's values and views as a guide for their own has engaged in _________________ conformity.

A) informational
B) compliance
C) identification
D) normative

Question 23

An individual's desire to continue performing a given role is known as:

A) a norm.
B) a role stereotype.
C) the role commitment.
D) a sanction.

Question 24

Most continuous innovations involve:

A) extended decision making.
B) limited decision making.
C) habitual decision making.
D) no decision making.

Question 25

An example of a continuous innovation is:

A) radial keratotomy.
B) multigrain bread.
C) smartphones.
D) camcorders.

Question 26

In general, adopter categories:

A) are product-category specific.
B) are composed of similar individuals across numerous product categories.
C) change frequently for the same product category.
D) are not useful to marketing managers.

Question 27

Which of the following products is likely to have the least group influence?

A) shoes
B) dress
C) vitamins
D) stereo system

Question 28

A prescribed pattern of behaviour expected of a person in a situation by virtue of the person's position in the situation is:

A) a role.
B) a role stereotype.
C) an aspiration reference group.
D) a job description.

Question 29

Evolving roles are:

A) changes over time in the behaviour expected of a role.
B) roles that an individual is assigned.
C) roles that are acquired as one moves through the life cycle.
D) roles that an individual chooses.

Question 30

The critical aspect in developing strategies to enhance the market acceptance of an innovation is:

A) analysing the innovation from a managerial perspective.
B) analysing the innovation from a commercial perspective.
C) analysing the innovation from the target market's perspective.
D) adhering to the existing marketing plan.

Question 31

A role stereotype is:

A) individual variation in performing a given role.
B) when two roles demand different behaviours.
C) a shared visualisation of the ideal performer of a given role.
D) an aggregate of individuals fulfilling the same role.

Question 32

Informational influence occurs when:

A) an individual uses the behaviours and opinions of reference group members as potentially useful bits of information.
B) an individual fulfils group expectations to gain a direct reward or to avoid a sanction.
C) individuals use the perceived group norms and values as a guide for their attitudes and values.
D) an individual fulfils group expectations to gain a direct reward or to avoid a sanction and individuals use the perceived group norms and values as a guide for their attitudes and values.

Question 33

An example of a dynamically continuous innovation is:

A) the Ford Model T.
B) personal computers when first introduced.
C) mobile phones.
D) multigrain bread.

Question 34

Identification influence occurs when:

A) a group of individuals share some common characteristic.
B) two or more individuals work toward the same goal.
C) individuals use the perceived group norms and values as a guide for their own attitudes or values.
D) two or more individuals' behaviours are interdependent.

Question 35

Public necessities tend to be associated with __________________ reference group influence.

A) weak product and strong brand
B) strong product and weak brand
C) weak product and weak brand
D) strong product and strong brand

Question 36

Diffusion enhancement strategies refer to:

A) marketing mix variables manipulated to overcome potential resistance to an innovation.
B) the use of very heavy introductory marketing efforts.
C) the steps a consumer uses to evaluate a new product.
D) making a new product seem familiar.

Question 37

An individual who notices several fellow runners using a new brand of running shoe and purchases a pair because they seem to be working well has engaged in _________________ conformity.

A) informational
B) compliance
C) identification
D) determinant

Question 38

Normative influence occurs when:

A) an individual uses the behaviours and opinions of reference group members as potentially useful bits of information.
B) an individual fulfils group expectations to gain a direct reward or to avoid a sanction.
C) individuals use the perceived group norms and values as a guide for their own attitudes and values.
D) All of the given answers are correct.

Question 39

Role acquisition refers to:

A) new roles that individuals choose or which are assigned over time.
B) the way an individual fulfils a given role.
C) the complete set of roles that an individual fulfils.
D) changes in role-required behaviour over time.

Question 40

The adoption process:

A) is most relevant for low-involvement products.
B) closely resembles the extended decision-making process.
C) is limited to the actual purchase decision.
D) is limited to the innovators and early adopters.

Question 41

The process of one person receiving information from the mass media and passing it on to others is known as:

A) the multi-step flow of communication.
B) the three-step flow of communication.
C) the two-step flow of communication.
D) none of the given answers.

Question 42

If relative advantage is low, a suitable diffusion-enhancement strategy would be:

A) to use a skilled salesforce.
B) to redesign the product.
C) to give free samples to early adopters.
D) all of the given answers.

Question 43

How may role parameters within a group influence consumer behaviour?

Question 44

A shared visualisation of the ideal performer of a given role is called:

A) role agreement.
B) role stereotype.
C) role visualisation.
D) role imagery.

Question 45

How may marketing communication information flows occur when opinion leaders are involved?

Question 46

Which of the following is not a method of identifying opinion leaders?

A) sociometric techniques
B) self-designating questionnaires
C) spying
D) key informants

Question 47

In Australia and New Zealand, oilskin coats are bought today not just by keen horse-riders but also by fashion conscious young urbanites. R. M. Williams boots and Akubra hats are also selling fast. These are examples of a:

A) role-style product cluster.
B) role-evolution product cluster.
C) role-related product cluster.
D) role parameter product cluster.

Question 48

To use opinion leadership, marketers can:

A) create advisory boards composed of leaders from the target market.
B) give samples to opinions leaders.
C) give opinion leaders free access to their services.
D) All of the given answers are correct.

Question 49

A purchase mate:

A) is a person who purchases a product for someone else.
B) provides status to the buyer.
C) is someone motivated by personal benefits such as status.
D) None of the given answers are correct.

Question 50

The role of a university student has wide parameters, while the role of an officer in the navy carries very narrow parameters. These are examples of:

A) role styles.
B) role parameters.
C) role differences.
D) none of the given answers.

Question 51

Bob is trying to fill more roles than the available time, energy or money allows, which is a sign of what occurring?

A) information overload
B) role pressure
C) role overload
D) role conflict

Question 52

Evolving roles:

A) present marketers with potential challenges and/or opportunities.
B) occur as the behaviours expected of a role change.
C) are related to social trends.
D) All of the given answers are correct.

Question 53

Online word-of-mouth communication:

A) differs from traditional word-of-mouth communication in terms of costs.
B) differs from traditional word-of-mouth communication in terms of content.
C) is less useful to marketers than traditional word-of-mouth communication.
D) None of the given answers are correct.

Question 54

A weak source within an online community:

A) can be influential in driving product purchase.
B) is never as influential as a strong source.
C) can be persuasive in driving product adoption depending on the stage of the product life cycle.
D) None of the given answers are correct.

Question 55

Factors affecting the spread of innovations include:

A) marketing effort, fulfilment of felt need and compatibility.
B) type of group, complexity and consumer roles.
C) relative advantage, purchase involvement and type of decision.
D) all of the given answers.

Question 56

Julie is knowledgeable across a wide array of products, services and store types. She is a(n):

A) opinion leader.
B) category opinion leader.
C) market maven.
D) market expert.

Question 57

What are some of the key characteristics of market mavens?

Question 58

Laggards:

A) enjoy social interaction but do not like to spend money.
B) tend to be relatively dogmatic.
C) never adopt innovations.
D) All of the given answers are correct.