Question 1

If an audience is initially hostile, the first stage in response changing is _______ of their anger of suspicion.

Accepted Answer

The first stage in response changing is defusing or diffusing their anger or suspicion. This means to reduce the hostility or tension in the audience to create a more receptive environment for communication. Neutralization is a term used in chemistry, and crystallization and transformation do not accurately describe the process of changing audience response.

Question 2

Fishbein and Ajzen's theory of reasoned action states that the best predictor of behavior is:

Accepted Answer

The theory of reasoned action argues that intentions are the most important predictor of behavior, as they reflect a person's readiness to engage in a behavior. Intentions are determined by attitudes toward the behavior and subjective norms, which are beliefs about what significant others think a person should do. Beliefs and values also influence attitudes, but intentions are the best predictor of actual behavior.

Question 3

________ are starting points for our thought processes.

Accepted Answer

Anchors are the starting points or reference points for our thought processes. They can be values, beliefs, experiences, or external cues that influence the way we perceive and interpret information. Anchors can either limit or expand our thinking and decision-making abilities.

Question 4

________ works by rewarding desired behavior and withholding rewards until the desired behavior is forthcoming.

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is a form of learning that involves rewarding desired behavior to increase the probability of that behavior in the future. This can involve the use of positive reinforcement (providing a reward after the desired behavior is performed) or negative reinforcement (removing an unpleasant stimulus after the desired behavior is performed). Punishment, on the other hand, involves providing a consequence after an undesired behavior in order to decrease the probability of that behavior in the future. Incentive conditioning refers to the process of learning to associate a particular behavior with a reward, while persuasive messages involve using communication to change attitudes or behaviors.

Question 5

________ is the uncomfortable tension that results from a person having two conflicting thoughts at the same time.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort or psychological stress experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values.

Question 6

Attitudes:

Accepted Answer

All of the above statements are true about attitudes. Attitudes are learned through past experiences, socialization, and media exposure, and they can influence how a person behaves towards a particular stimulus. Attitudes also involve intensity of feeling, which can range from very positive to very negative, and they are typically directed towards a specific thing, such as an object, idea, or person.

Question 7

Our tendency to rationalize after the fact for decisions we've already made calls into question:

Accepted Answer

Rational choice theories assume that individuals make decisions based on rational calculations, but rationalizing after the fact suggests that decisions may not always be made rationally.

Question 8

On any occasion, a persuader might stop short of producing wholesale changes in a persuadee but still consider the effort successful. This is due to ______.

Accepted Answer

Persuasion occurring by degrees means that the persuader might not achieve a complete change in the attitude or behavior of the persuadee but still make progress towards the intended outcome. This can be considered a successful effort in persuasion.

Question 9

Jane generally supports the work of the Humane Society, but this year she received a persuasive mailer that caused her to write a check for $100 and donate it to the group. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Response reinforcing occurs when an individual's existing behavior is strengthened or encouraged by a stimulus, in this case, the persuasive mailer from the Humane Society. Jane already supported the work of the Humane Society, and the mailer reinforced her behavior, leading her to donate.

Question 10

If an audience is hostile, the first stage in response changing is:

Accepted Answer

Defusion is the first stage in response changing for a hostile audience, as it involves reducing tension and hostility to create a more receptive environment for communication.

Question 11

Subjective norms:

Accepted Answer

Subjective norms are a component of the theory of reasoned action and can explain why our attitudes do not always predict what action we might take. They are not central components of cognitive dissonance.

Question 12

Westin's work found that:

Accepted Answer

Westin's work found that voters tended to seek out confirmatory evidence that supported their prior beliefs and reinterpreted counter-evidence. This suggests that voters are not always using rational choice or the expected utility model to guide their decisions about candidates.

Question 13

A study showed that business students are more likely to act competitively toward one another in the presence of a briefcase on the table. This is an example of ______.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the effects of priming, which refers to the unconscious activation of certain associations in memory, often leading to certain behaviors or attitudes. In this case, the sight of a briefcase (which is associated with business and competitiveness) primes the business students to act more competitively toward one another.

Question 14

ELM claims there are two routes to persuasion:

Accepted Answer

ELM (Elaboration Likelihood Model) claims that there are two routes to persuasion - central and peripheral. The central route involves carefully processing the information and considering the arguments presented in order to form a new belief or attitude. The peripheral route, on the other hand, involves being influenced by superficial factors such as the speaker's appearance or the use of catchy slogans or jingles. Therefore, the best choice is C.

Question 15

College students tend to sit in the same seats all through the semester. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Status quo bias refers to the tendency to prefer things the way they are and to maintain the status quo. In this example, college students are sticking to their routine of sitting in the same seats, even if other options are available. This illustrates a preference for the current state of things and a reluctance to change.

Question 16

Automatically enrolling employees into 401K plans and deducting automatically from each pay check to increase retirement savings, while providing an "opt out" clause, is an example of the application of:

Accepted Answer

This is an example of nudge theory, which involves adjusting the choice architecture or environment in a way that encourages people to make better decisions without limiting their freedom of choice. In this case, employees are defaulted into a 401K plan with the ability to opt-out, which has been shown to increase retirement savings participation rates. It is not an example of unethical coercion, anchoring bias, or negative value theory.

Question 17

Advertisers often create a feeling of conflict in us and then offer their product as a way to resolve it. They are using ______ to persuade us.

Accepted Answer

The advertisers are using cognitive dissonance to persuade us. Cognitive dissonance is the feeling of discomfort or conflict that occurs when a person's beliefs, attitudes or values are inconsistent with their behavior or when they hold two conflicting beliefs or attitudes. Advertisers may create a feeling of conflict in us through their ads, and then offer their product as a way to resolve this conflict. For example, an ad might show someone feeling stressed and overwhelmed by mess, and then offer a cleaning product as a way to alleviate the stress and restore order.

Question 18

Response shaping occurs when people acquire new beliefs on controversial matters or when they are socialized to learn new attitudes or acquire new values.

Accepted Answer

Response shaping is a socialization process that involves the acquisition of new beliefs, attitudes, or values on controversial matters. This can occur through various means, such as education, media exposure, peer influence, or persuasion. As individuals interact with others who hold different views or encounter new information that challenges their existing beliefs, they may undergo a process of response shaping to adjust their attitudes and behaviors accordingly.

Question 19

According to the BVA theory, the stronger our beliefs about positively valued attributes, the less favorable our attitudes toward that object will be.

Accepted Answer

According to the BVA theory, the stronger our beliefs about positively valued attributes, the more favorable our attitudes toward that object will be.

Question 20

When attitudes toward a contemplated behavior are put together with subjective norms, the combination indicates more accurately how a person will act in a given situation.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Attitudes and subjective norms are two of the three components of the Theory of Planned Behavior, which predicts an individual's behavior based on their attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. When attitudes and subjective norms align, a person is more likely to act in a certain way in a given situation.

Quiz 2: The Psychology of Persuasion: Basic Concepts and Principles