Question 1

A basic ethical principle in Judeo-Christian belief, which dominates most Western societies, the __________ is often cited as "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Accepted Answer

The phrase "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is commonly known as the Golden Rule, which is a basic ethical principle in Judeo-Christian belief and is frequently referenced in Western societies. The other options - Compassion Command, Reciprocal Rule, and Golden Mean - are not typically associated with this specific ethical principle.

Question 2

A __________ approach to ethics emphasizes the individual's choices within a prescribed framework.

Accepted Answer

Virtue-based ethics emphasizes the individual's choices within a prescribed framework of virtues.

Question 3

Social marketing operates under __________ principles.

Accepted Answer

Social marketing operates under utilitarian principles, which means its goal is to promote the greatest good for the greatest number of people. This involves analyzing the costs and benefits of different marketing strategies to determine which one will have the most positive impact on society as a whole.

Question 4

The oldest ethical system, with roots in some of the earliest religions, is based on __________.

Accepted Answer

The oldest ethical system is virtue ethics, which is based on character and has roots in ancient philosophies and religions, such as those of Aristotle and Confucius.

Question 5

Egalitarian philosophers believe that what is ethical is whatever brings the most __________ or fairness to everyone.

Accepted Answer

Egalitarian philosophers prioritize social justice and fairness for everyone as the ethical standard, rather than maximizing profit or gaining personal recognition. Peace may also be a desirable outcome, but it is not the primary focus of egalitarian ethics.

Question 6

Utilitarianism and social justice are ethical systems based on which of the following categories?

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism and social justice are both ethical systems based on the consequences of an action, rather than the duty of an individual or their character. Utilitarianism focuses on maximizing happiness for the greatest number of people, while social justice emphasizes fairness and equality in society.

Question 7

__________ is a system in which ethics can be judged by the attitudes and behaviors of each participant in a communication transaction.

Accepted Answer

Dialogical ethics is a system that emphasizes the importance of communication and mutual understanding in ethical decision-making. It recognizes that ethics are not simply determined by rules or consequences, but by the attitudes and behaviors of each participant in a communication transaction. Through dialogue, individuals can negotiate and come to a common understanding of what is ethical in a particular situation. Mediation and conflict resolution may be part of the process of achieving dialogical ethics, but they are not the same thing. Consequence-based ethics focuses on the outcomes of actions, rather than the process of decision-making.

Question 8

"Fair and balanced," a goal in journalism, is most similar to which ethical principle?

Accepted Answer

The "Golden Mean," proposed by Aristotle, emphasizes moderation and balance, similar to the journalistic goal of being "fair and balanced."

Question 9

The Golden Mean and the Golden Rule are both __________ ethics.

Accepted Answer

The Golden Mean and the Golden Rule are both virtue-based ethics. The Golden Mean, proposed by Aristotle, advocates for finding a balance between extremes of behavior to achieve moral excellence or virtue. The Golden Rule, on the other hand, is a moral principle found in many cultures and religions that encourages individuals to treat others as they would like to be treated themselves. Both emphasize the importance of cultivating virtues such as kindness, honesty, and fairness, rather than simply following rules or principles.

Question 10

__________ campaigns will sometimes hire actors who pretend to be concerned citizens at corporate or government meetings where they present false testimonials.

Accepted Answer

Astroturfing campaigns involve creating a false grassroots movement, often by hiring actors or paid individuals to pose as concerned citizens at events or meetings in order to present false testimonials or opinions. Greenwashing refers specifically to falsely promoting a product or company as environmentally friendly, while smear campaigns involve attacking a person or group with false or misleading information. Role-playing may be a component of astroturfing, but it is not necessarily a defining characteristic.

Question 11

In its current code of ethics, the Society of Professional Journalists urges journalists to "seek truth and report it" and charges them to be which three things when gathering, reporting, and interpreting information?

Accepted Answer

The SPJ's current code of ethics lists "seek truth and report it" as the first principle and emphasizes the importance of honesty, fairness, and courage in gathering, reporting, and interpreting information. Therefore, choice B is the best option. Choices A, C, and D do not accurately reflect the principles outlined in the SPJ code of ethics.

Question 12

Partly because of professional loyalty to their clients, PR professionals have many of the same ___________ as advertising.

Accepted Answer

PR professionals, like advertisers, may have conflicts of interest between their client's goals and the public's best interest. Both professions strive to present a positive image of their clients or products, but may need to navigate ethical considerations to do so.

Question 13

The admonition to refrain from lying by omission is one of the guidelines for ethical public relations established by the __________.

Accepted Answer

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is one of the leading professional organizations for public relations practitioners in the United States, and its Code of Ethics outlines ethical standards and guidelines for the industry. One of the guidelines is to refrain from lying by omission, which means that PR professionals should not withhold information that is relevant or important to the public.

Question 14

Media professionals in _________ do not wrestle with the same issues regarding truth because their content is not held to the same ethical standards as other media categories.

Accepted Answer

Entertainment media is not typically held to the same ethical standards as journalism or advertising, as their primary goal is to entertain rather than inform or persuade. While some entertainment media may strive to tell true or meaningful stories, factual inaccuracies or exaggerations may be more easily forgiven or overlooked in the pursuit of entertaining content.

Question 15

Nalani listens carefully to others and respects their views without necessarily changing her own. She tries not to force her opinions on others, while remaining honest and nonjudgmental. Nalani practices which type of ethics?

Accepted Answer

Nalani's approach sounds similar to dialogical ethics, which emphasizes respectful communication, mutual understanding, and open-mindedness in ethical decision-making. Dialogical ethics encourages individuals to engage in constructive dialogue and consider multiple perspectives, while still remaining true to their own values and beliefs.

Question 16

The News of the World caused a widespread scandal when its reporters _________ celebrities, sports stars, politicians, and the families of crime victims to get material for stories.

Accepted Answer

The sentence states that the reporters of News of the World got material for stories by doing something illegal. Among the given options, only "hacking the phones of" fits the description of an illegal act that could provide the reporters with sensitive information about the mentioned individuals. Therefore, the best choice is B.

Question 17

Scholars in the Frankfurt School coined the term _________ to describe the unique power of media companies to affect culture.

Accepted Answer

The term "culture industry" was coined by scholars in the Frankfurt School to describe the unique power of media companies to affect culture. The term refers to the commodification and standardization of cultural products, which are created and distributed by media companies for profit. The Frankfurt School scholars believed that the culture industry was a form of social control that promoted conformity, consumerism, and passivity among the masses.

Question 18

At the heart of many media-ethics dilemmas are the conflicting goals of informing the public and _________.

Accepted Answer

Many media organizations are driven by corporate profit maximization, which can sometimes conflict with the goal of informing the public. Certain stories or viewpoints may be censored or downplayed because they don't align with the organization's financial interests.

Question 19

Depictions of sex and violence by the American entertainment industry have always been controversial. Even though most people do not become mass murderers after watching violent content, critics argue that media _________ affects us.

Accepted Answer

The sentence suggests that critics argue that media exposure affects us, not necessarily that individuals would reenact the violence or rhetoric they see in the media. The word "exposition" is not applicable in this context.

Question 20

In 1992, an independent investigation revealed that the production team at NBC's Dateline had tampered with General Motors pickup trucks to stage footage of exploding gas tanks. What motivated Dateline to rig this news coverage?

Accepted Answer

Dateline rigged the footage for the purpose of creating exciting visual elements. The use of explosive footage was intended to draw viewership and boost ratings.

Quiz 11: Media Ethics