Question 1

Japanese businesses tend to value group consensus over individual decision making. This is an example of conformity based on:

Accepted Answer

Japanese businesses emphasize group consensus due to cultural norms that prioritize harmony and collective decision-making over individualism.

Question 2

When we come to like persons or things simply as a result of seeing them more often, we explain the relationship by what is called:

Accepted Answer

Mere exposure phenomenon is the tendency for people to develop a preference for things that they are repeatedly exposed to.

Question 3

In a much- discussed marketing failure, Coca- Cola launched "new Coke" on the basis of successful taste tests, only to encounter massive resistance when consumers discovered that their familiar Coke (now being called Classic Coke) would no longer be available. Even though many consumers probably would have bought the new flavor on their own, they felt that the company had taken the right to choose away from them. This hostile public outcry is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Reactance occurs when people feel their freedom to choose is being restricted, leading to a negative reaction, as seen with the public's response to "new Coke."

Question 4

We compare ourselves to others to help stabilize our self- evaluations and to feel comfortable with how well our choices "fit in" with the choices and preferences that others have. This theory is termed:

Accepted Answer

The theory described is known as "social comparison," which suggests that individuals evaluate their own abilities and opinions by comparing themselves to others.

Question 5

Claude, a stock analyst, has a reputation for good picks. He appears on ROBTV on a weekly basis. Many people make sure they take note of his every word. This is an example of which type of power base:

Accepted Answer

Claude's influence comes from his expertise and knowledge in stock analysis, which is why people pay attention to his recommendations. This is an example of expert power.

Question 6

Allison carefully avoids doing what everyone else does. She goes out of her way to make sure that she does not dress the same way as others of her age. She spends a lot of time and effort to ensure that she will not be caught "in style." Her behaviour would be called:

Accepted Answer

Allison's behavior is described as intentionally avoiding what is popular or in style, which aligns with the concept of anticonformity, where an individual deliberately opposes the norms or trends.

Question 7

Rodney wants to know which brand of insecticide to buy, so he asks for brand evaluations from various professionals, experts, people who work with insecticides, even independent testing agencies which have seals of approval. Which kind of reference group influence would result:

Accepted Answer

Informational influence occurs when individuals seek out information from experts or professionals to make informed decisions, as Rodney is doing by consulting various knowledgeable sources about insecticides.

Question 8

Consumers who are confident in themselves and do not need peer approval for their behaviours is said to be .

Accepted Answer

Role-relaxed consumers are those who are confident in themselves and do not seek peer approval for their behaviors.

Question 9

All of the following factors affect conformity, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Maleness and femaleness (gender) is not a direct factor affecting conformity, whereas fear of deviance, susceptibility to interpersonal influence, level of commitment, and group unanimity, size, and expertise are recognized factors influencing conformity.

Question 10

Entertainer Madonna made a distinctive fashion statement when she wore lingerie as outer wear. Some consumers voluntarily imitated these outfits and began buying bustiers to identify with the Madonna image. What kind of power base did Madonna have:

Accepted Answer

Madonna had referent power, as people admired her and wanted to emulate her style, leading them to imitate her fashion choices.

Question 11

Dee's parents, although fairly well- off, always taught her the value of money, so Dee makes sure she puts money in a retirement account each month and pays her credit card bill on time. This type of influence is termed:

Accepted Answer

Normative influence involves conforming to the expectations of others, such as parents, to gain approval or avoid disapproval, which aligns with Dee's behavior of managing her finances responsibly as taught by her parents.

Question 12

A type of virtual community of consumption based on sharing online journals is called _.

Accepted Answer

Blogs are online journals where individuals share content, making them a virtual community of consumption.

Question 13

An unhappy customer is likely to tell at least other people about her negative experience.

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that an unhappy customer is likely to tell around nine other people about their negative experience.

Question 14

Jane would hold home shopping parties. She always gave two of her friends some money before the party began and asked them to buy something rather expensive from her at the beginning of the party. Jane believed that this increased the probability that other party goers would then begin buying her products. Jane was relying on the to increase sales.

Accepted Answer

Jane was relying on the bandwagon effect, which is the tendency for people to adopt certain behaviors, styles, or attitudes simply because others are doing so. By having her friends make purchases, she hoped to influence others to follow suit.

Question 15

What do social loafing and decision polarization have in common?

Accepted Answer

Both social loafing and decision polarization illustrate how individual behavior can change when people are part of a larger group, often leading to different outcomes than if they were acting alone.

Question 16

Your employer represents a power base that can provide positive reinforcement in the form of promotions or salary increases. Your employer has what kind of power:

Accepted Answer

Reward power is the ability to influence others by providing them with something they value, such as promotions or salary increases.

Question 17

Opinion leaders who are also among the first purchasers of new products they recommend are called:

Accepted Answer

Innovative communicators are opinion leaders who not only influence others but also adopt new products early, thus recommending them based on personal experience.

Question 18

Amanda thought she had been cheated by a local car dealership. She was so upset that she created a Web site to share her story with the world. What is the most likely result of Amanda's action?

Accepted Answer

Amanda's website could potentially damage the dealership's reputation by influencing potential buyers to avoid it, especially if her story is compelling and gains traction online.

Question 19

Shopping in groups, even in small groups of two or three people, results in purchase patterns which differ from that of the lone shopper. Which of these statements about group shopping is NOT true:

Accepted Answer

Groups tend to increase decision polarization, not decrease it, as group dynamics can lead to more extreme decisions.

Question 20

The tendency for groups to take larger risks in decision making than the same individuals would take when acting alone is known as:

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon where groups make riskier decisions than individuals is known as the "risky shift." This occurs because group dynamics can lead to a diffusion of responsibility and a sense of shared risk.

Quiz 11: Group Influences and Social Media