Question 1

The four-door vehicle Macho has been around for a few years. It recently started to be heavily advertised again on TV as 'the best of the lot!' Consumer research has shown that this:

Accepted Answer

Advertising, especially with strong positive claims like "the best of the lot," tends to reinforce existing preferences among consumers by reminding them of the product and its perceived benefits, thus potentially strengthening their preference for Machos over competing brands like Ruggeds and Tuffees.

Question 2

There is now evidence that continuous TV advertising of shocking images of accidents has not been effective in reducing road accidents. This is likely to be because:

Accepted Answer

High-fear messages, such as shocking images of accidents, can be so disruptive that they interfere with the audience's ability to pay attention to the message being conveyed, rather than encouraging them to engage in critical thinking about their behaviors.

Question 3

The best way to eliminate dangerous health practices according to protection motivation theory is to make sure:

Accepted Answer

Protection motivation theory suggests that for fear appeals to be effective in changing behavior, they must not only highlight the severity and susceptibility to a threat but also provide a clear, effective way for individuals to cope with or avoid the threat. This helps in motivating protective behavior change.

Question 4

When trying to persuade an audience, and the content of the message is simple it will be more effective if:

Accepted Answer

When the content of the message is simple, distracting the audience can prevent them from critically analyzing the message, making them more likely to be persuaded.

Question 5

The treasurer of a non-profit organisation will present the annual report to the board of directors. The organisation only received about half of their expected donations as a result of an ongoing recession. However, instead of using the term 'decline', the term 'negative growth' is used. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The term 'negative growth' is used instead of 'decline' to frame the message in a less negative light, which is an example of message framing. This technique involves presenting information in a way that influences how it is perceived.

Question 6

When Karen hears graphic news about disasters she becomes somewhat stressed, focussed and attentive. However, when she gets extremely stressed, she is so uptight that she becomes distracted from the details of the story. This sequence characterises the:

Accepted Answer

The inverted U-curve describes the relationship between stress and performance, indicating that a moderate level of stress can enhance performance or focus, but too much stress leads to a decrease in performance or focus. This matches Karen's experience with stress and attention to news about disasters.

Question 7

You are an activist. You want your employer to create job vacancies for refugees. You decide to improve your chances by advertising a new policy of 'equal opportunity' rather than 'reverse discrimination'. You have used:

Accepted Answer

Message framing involves presenting information in a way that highlights certain aspects over others to influence perception and decision-making. By advertising the policy as 'equal opportunity' rather than 'reverse discrimination', you are framing the message to emphasize inclusivity and fairness, which is more likely to be positively received.

Question 8

When might a threat message in advertising work? When:

Accepted Answer

Threat messages in advertising can be effective when they not only highlight a danger or threat but also provide a method for the audience to cope with or avoid the danger. This approach can motivate positive action by offering a solution or preventative measure alongside the warning.

Question 9

Consider a simple promotional message such as 'Take in a great view-Bungee Jump!' According to Chaiken and Eagly (1983), the most effective medium to spread it is:

Accepted Answer

According to Chaiken and Eagly (1983), television is the most effective medium for spreading a simple promotional message like 'Take in a great view-Bungee Jump!' because it combines visual and auditory stimuli, making the message more engaging and memorable.

Question 10

Derek works on advertising for a car manufacturer. He recently promoted the company's new vehicle. In light of the highly competitive market, Derek's advertising strategy would work best by:

Accepted Answer

Incorporating both factual and feeling elements in advertising is effective because it appeals to both the logical and emotional aspects of consumer decision-making. This approach can help differentiate the product in a competitive market by providing valuable information while also connecting with consumers on an emotional level.

Question 11

The local police really wants to convince young drivers to slow down. They host a mock accident along with gory images of mangled people, squashed cars, fire engines and ambulances in the college parking lot. The evidence for the effectiveness of such messages is:

Accepted Answer

The evidence regarding the effectiveness of using graphic and gory images to influence behavior, such as convincing young drivers to slow down, is mixed. Some studies suggest that such messages can have an impact, while others indicate they may not be effective or could even have counterproductive effects, such as desensitization.

Question 12

You see a qualified medical doctor and an unqualified physical health promoter present on the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. Both are very convincing, although their arguments differ slightly. Knowing what you do about the importance of source credibility, you obviously tend to believe the arguments of the medical doctor rather than the health promoter. However, after about a year you find yourself talking to a friend about why they should be living a healthier lifestyle, and without realising it you are forcefully putting forward the arguments of both the medical doctor and the health promoter you saw present a year earlier. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The sleeper effect is a phenomenon where messages from less credible sources increase in persuasiveness over time, as the source's credibility fades from memory while the message itself is retained. In this scenario, despite initially favoring the medical doctor's advice due to their credibility, over time, the arguments from both the doctor and the less credible health promoter have merged in your memory, leading you to advocate for a healthier lifestyle using points from both sources.

Question 13

Research by McGuire (1968) argued that when the relationship of persuasibility and self-esteem are depicted graphically, it appears as:

Accepted Answer

McGuire's research suggested that the relationship between persuasibility and self-esteem is best represented by an inverted U shape, indicating that individuals with moderate self-esteem are most susceptible to persuasion, while those with very high or very low self-esteem are less so.

Question 14

Jack and Brian discuss vigorously whether to use an circular or a handsaw to cut the boards they will use for their flowerbox project. Getting nowhere, they ask Susanne, Jack's sister. Susanne grumbles that it doesn't matter as long as the flowerbox looks good. She is likely to have said this because she thinks that:

Accepted Answer

Susanne's response suggests she believes the focus should be on the outcome (the appearance of the flowerbox) rather than the method of achieving it, indicating she sees the argument as rooted in a stereotypical male preoccupation with tools and methods rather than the end result.

Question 15

Prof Feelgood is a well-known sleep physiologist and Fritz is a fitness instructor. They go separately to student campuses but with a similar message: 'Study more, sleep less, and be healthy!' Research has shown that students will accept 2 hours of sleep reduction, from the usual 8 hours that is commonly believed to be optimal to maintain one's health, when:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Prof Feelgood is a well-known sleep physiologist...

Question 16

A distributor of security alarms keeps telling you daily on the radio that 'you don't just need one-you need two! One for the house and one for the car.' Hearing this every day is likely to make you:

Accepted Answer

Hearing a message repeatedly can lead to the mere exposure effect, where people start to believe the message is true simply because they hear it often.

Question 17

In cases where the argument in a message is very different to what an individual believes, persuasion will be more likely if:

Accepted Answer

When the argument in a message significantly differs from an individual's beliefs, having a credible source can enhance persuasion because the individual is more likely to trust and consider the information coming from a reputable or knowledgeable source.

Question 18

When advertising a simple message, the most effective medium is television and the next most effective is radio. Both of these are superior to newspapers and magazines. This is because:

Accepted Answer

Message difficulty interacts with the choice of media, meaning simpler messages are more effectively communicated through television and radio due to their audio-visual and auditory nature, respectively, compared to the more text-heavy newspapers and magazines.

Question 19

'I have a message for the community', you think, but recalling the findings of Rhodes and Wood (1992) you need to:

Accepted Answer

Rhodes and Wood (1992) found that people with average self-esteem are more easily persuaded than those with either quite high or quite low self-esteem. This is because individuals with average self-esteem are more open to persuasion as they may not hold their beliefs as confidently as those with high self-esteem, and are not as dismissive or indifferent as those with low self-esteem.

Question 20

Attitude change increases as a function of fear up to a medium level of arousal; after that it declines again due to a lack of attention and/or the disruptive effect of intense emotion. This typifies the:

Accepted Answer

This description matches the inverted U-curve theory, which suggests that a moderate level of emotional arousal (such as fear) is most effective for changing attitudes. Too little arousal doesn't capture attention or motivate change, while too much can overwhelm and lead to avoidance or rejection of the message.

Quiz 6: Persuasion and Attitude Change