Question 1

The ELM model requires persuasion to occur through:

Accepted Answer

The ELM model requires persuasion to occur through logic, contemplation, and emotion.

Question 2

I have decided to buy a BMW motorcycle. When my partner asks me why that is the brand I've chosen, I answer "I saw the motorcycle in the latest action film and it looked really cool." I have been persuaded through

Accepted Answer

The peripheral route to persuasion involves being influenced by superficial cues, such as the appearance of the motorcycle in a film, rather than the content or quality of the message itself.

Question 3

According to the textbook, under normal, everyday circumstances, people use which of the following to make decisions?

Accepted Answer

Under normal, everyday circumstances, people often rely on heuristics, which are mental shortcuts or rules of thumb, to make decisions quickly and efficiently.

Question 4

The distinction between central and peripheral routes to attitude change parallels the distinction between:

Accepted Answer

The central and peripheral routes to attitude change relate to explicit and implicit judgments, where the central route involves careful and thoughtful consideration (explicit), and the peripheral route involves more automatic, less conscious processing (implicit).

Question 5

If you want to change someone's attitude about something, repetition works. It works because:

Accepted Answer

Repetition can lead to familiarity, which often results in liking and increased credibility, making all the options correct.

Question 6

Although attitude change often involves deliberate efforts at persuasion, another path to attitude change is ____, a perceived discrepancy between an attitude and a behavior or between an attitude and a new piece of information.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance refers to the mental discomfort experienced when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes, especially as it relates to behavioral decisions and attitude change.

Question 7

According to Leon Festinger, cognitive dissonance leads directly to:

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance, as proposed by Leon Festinger, refers to the psychological tension or discomfort experienced when holding two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes.

Question 8

Cognitive dissonance theory is essentially a _____ in which an attitude change is reinforced by lessening an uncomfortable emotional state.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theory is similar to drive-reduction theory because it involves reducing an uncomfortable emotional state (dissonance) by changing attitudes or behaviors to achieve consistency.

Question 9

Festinger and Carlsmith (1959) conducted an experiment where participants performed an hour long boring task and then were paid either $1 or $20 to tell the next person the experiment was enjoyable. Based on the results of that study, how much money do I need to give to students for them to say they enjoyed entering pages and pages of data, and to make them want to do it again.

Accepted Answer

Festinger and Carlsmith's study demonstrated that participants paid $1 experienced more cognitive dissonance and thus convinced themselves that the task was enjoyable to reduce the dissonance. Therefore, a smaller reward can be more effective in changing attitudes.

Question 10

I had a hard time getting over the end of my most recent relationship. I decide the best thing is to just stop talking with the other person. Out of the blue, months later, I get an email from my ex. After days of deliberation, I email my ex back. As soon as I do, I wonder if I did the right thing. I am displaying:

Accepted Answer

Postdecision regret occurs when someone doubts or regrets a decision they have made, which is what is happening after emailing the ex.

Question 11

Despite knowing that excessive caffeine is bad for me, I decide to take a caffeine supplement to help me study. According to your textbook, which of the following would cause me to experience cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a conflict between one's beliefs and actions, and being consciously aware of this discrepancy can lead to experiencing dissonance.

Question 12

Self-perception theory was proposed in direct response to which one of the following as it relates to cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Self-perception theory was proposed by Daryl Bem as an alternative to cognitive dissonance theory, particularly in explaining how motivation and attitudes are formed and changed. It suggests that people infer their attitudes and motivations by observing their own behavior, rather than experiencing dissonance.

Question 13

Some theorists argued that motivation is not necessary to reduce cognitive dissonance. For that reason, the self-perception theory was developed, which is derived from:

Accepted Answer

Self-perception theory, developed by Daryl Bem, is derived from behaviorism. It suggests that people infer their attitudes and emotions by observing their own behavior, similar to how external observers would, rather than being driven by internal motivations or cognitive dissonance.

Question 14

Which theory holds that individuals infer their attitudes, emotions, and other internal states by observing their own behavior?

Accepted Answer

Self-perception theory suggests that people develop their attitudes and emotions by observing their own behavior and concluding what attitudes must have caused them.

Question 15

According to the self-perception theory, the attitudes people report depend on their:

Accepted Answer

Self-perception theory suggests that people infer their attitudes by observing their own behavior and the context in which it occurs, rather than through introspection.

Question 16

To address the question, "Is cognitive dissonance universal?," an experiment was conducted that involved a comparison of:

Accepted Answer

The experiment compared Canadian and Japanese individuals to explore the universality of cognitive dissonance across different cultural contexts.

Question 17

Some cognitive theorists propose that the _____ is a schema that guides the way we think and remember information relevant to others and us.

Accepted Answer

The self-concept is a schema that encompasses our beliefs and knowledge about ourselves, guiding how we process information related to ourselves and others.

Question 18

The degree to which a person likes and respects the self is called:

Accepted Answer

Self-esteem refers to the degree to which a person likes and respects the self.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is true of self-esteem?

Accepted Answer

People can base self-esteem on either a general view or on specific attributes.

Question 20

The study in which college students were given the task of rating themselves on positive and negative traits, and the US News & World Report survey on who you think will get into heaven both point to the fact that:

Accepted Answer

Both studies suggest that people have a tendency to view themselves more favorably compared to others, indicating a self-enhancement bias.

Quiz 16: Social Cognition