Question 1

Car salespersons are notorious for using the ________ technique,which involves changing terms after an agreement has been made.

Accepted Answer

The technique described is the "lowball" technique, as it involves changing terms (usually to the detriment of the customer) after an agreement has been made. The other techniques listed (foot-in-the-door, foot-in-the-mouth, and door-in-the-face) do not involve changing terms after an agreement has been made.

Question 2

The study of obedience took on a renewed importance in the wake of _________.

Accepted Answer

The Holocaust during World War II is widely considered to be a key event that prompted the study of obedience, specifically the ways in which individuals can be influenced to commit acts of violence and cruelty under orders from authority figures.

Question 3

At the supermarket,a demonstrator gives away free samples of a new pizza.He also gives each taster a coupon worth $1 off his or her grocery bill.This manufacturer is depending on the social process of _________ to increase sales.

Accepted Answer

The norm of reciprocity is the expectation that when someone gives us something, we should try to give back to them in return. By giving away free pizza samples and coupons, the manufacturer is hoping to create a sense of obligation in the tasters to purchase their pizza in the future. This is an example of the norm of reciprocity, making choice A the best answer. Deindividuation refers to the loss of self-awareness and restraint in group situations, group polarization refers to the tendency for groups to become more extreme in their views, and social facilitation refers to the tendency for people to perform better on simple tasks in front of others. None of these processes are directly relevant to the scenario described.

Question 4

You get a free sample of a new cereal in the mail.The company hopes you will try the cereal and then feel obligated to buy it.What term do psychologists use to describe this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

The term psychologists use to describe the phenomenon of feeling obligated to buy something after receiving a free sample is the norm of reciprocity. This principle suggests that when someone does something nice for us, we feel compelled to do something nice in return. In this case, the cereal company is banking on the fact that you will feel obligated to buy their cereal after receiving a free sample.

Question 5

The tendency of people to comply with a second,lesser request after refusing a larger one is called the ________ technique.

Accepted Answer

The door-in-the-face technique involves making a large request that is likely to be refused, followed by a smaller request that is more likely to be accepted due to the contrast effect of the initial refusal.

Question 6

Hannah asks Jin to babysit her daughter for five hours each on Saturday and then Sunday.Once Jin declines,Hannah asks Jin to babysit for four hours on Saturday only and Jin agrees to do it.This example demonstrates the ________ technique.

Accepted Answer

This example demonstrates the door-in-the-face technique because Hannah first makes a large request (babysitting for 10 hours over the weekend), which Jin declines. Then, Hannah makes a smaller request (babysitting for 4 hours on Saturday), which Jin agrees to do. This is a classic example of the door-in-the-face technique, where an initial large request is followed by a smaller, more reasonable request.

Question 7

The tendency of people to comply with a second,larger request after complying with a small request is called the ________ technique.

Accepted Answer

The foot-in-the-door technique involves first asking for a small request, and then following up with a larger request. The idea is that people are more likely to comply with a larger request after first saying yes to a smaller one.

Question 8

You are in the market for a new car.You go from dealer to dealer and find they all follow the same procedure: every salesperson offers you a soda and asks you to take a test drive.Which two psychological techniques are behind the offer of the soda and the test drive?

Accepted Answer

The offer of a soda and test drive is an example of the norm of reciprocity, where the salesperson offers something of value (a drink) in order to encourage the customer to feel obligated to reciprocate by considering purchasing the car. The test drive is also a way to use the foot-in-the-door technique, where the small request (taking a test drive) can lead to a larger commitment (buying the car).

Question 9

"Jeremy,can you possibly give me a ride to the airport this Sunday?" your friend Ben asks.Not thinking that this is a big deal,you agree to do this favor for Ben."Oh,that's great! Thanks so much.By the way,I forgot that the plane leaves at 8:30 am so I'll have to be at the airport by 6:30 am.Pick me up at 6:00.See you then," Ben adds.You are still likely to do the favor for Ben because you have just been a victim of the _____________ technique.

Accepted Answer

The lowball technique is a persuasion strategy wherein a request is made and then the terms are changed to be less favorable to the person being asked. In this scenario, Ben initially asked for a ride to the airport, but then changed the terms by indicating that he needed to be at the airport much earlier than originally stated. By agreeing to give Ben a ride before knowing the full details of the request, Jeremy fell prey to the lowball technique.

Question 10

"Mommy,mommy,mommy," your young son asks frantically."Can we please buy a new PlayStation®3 console with all of the games and the wireless controllers so that we don't have to sit near the television?" "No," you reply,"We can't afford to buy all of that!" Seemingly unperturbed by your rejection,your son comes back with "Then can we just buy one new game for our PlayStation®2?" "Okay,I guess so," you answer,not realizing that your son has taken a social psychology class and has just used the ___________ technique to get what he wanted.

Accepted Answer

The "door-in-the-face" technique involves making a large request that is likely to be refused, followed by a smaller request, which is the actual goal. The son first asks for an expensive PlayStation®3, expecting a refusal, and then asks for a smaller request, a new game for the PlayStation®2, which is granted.

Question 11

In the Stanley Milgram obedience experiment,the teachers were given a "sample shock" of ________ volts.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the Stanley Milgram obedience experiment,the teachers...

Question 12

When watching an infomercial offering the latest and greatest in laundry soap products the pitchman continually asks how much you'd be willing to pay,but immediately after telling you the price he yells,"Plus,if you act now,we'll double your order absolutely free!" This is a classic example of the _____________ technique.

Accepted Answer

The pitchman is using the "that's-not-all" technique, which involves presenting an initial offer and then adding extra bonuses or incentives to make the offer seem more appealing. This is done to create a sense of urgency and make the viewer feel like they are getting a better deal. In this case, the pitchman is doubling the order for free, which makes the offer more enticing.

Question 13

Which of the strategies for gaining compliance discussed by your textbook is least likely to influence an individual from a collectivist culture,such as Japan?

Accepted Answer

The foot-in-the-door technique relies on individualistic values of consistency and commitment, which may be less influential in collectivist cultures that prioritize group harmony and consensus over individual actions.

Question 14

A consultant was telling newly hired salespeople about techniques they can use to increase sales.At one point he was talking about increasing compliance by creating a sense of obligation.Because one of the last classes you took before you graduated was Social Psychology,you recognize the concept as _____________.

Accepted Answer

The concept referred to is the norm of reciprocity, which is the idea that people feel obligated to give back to others when they receive something from them. This is often used in sales and marketing techniques to create a sense of obligation in potential customers. Options B, C, and D are related to the norm of reciprocity, but do not accurately describe the concept that is being referred to in this scenario.

Question 15

After agreeing to Nat's request to share her lecture notes from one class,Maria now agrees to Nat's request to share her notes from three classes.This example illustrates the _________technique.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the foot-in-the-door technique because Nat first asked for Maria's notes from one class, which Maria agreed to, and then asked for her notes from three classes, which Maria also agreed to. The requester starts with a small request, which is likely to be agreed to, and then makes a larger request. This technique works on the principle of consistency: people are more likely to agree to a larger request if they have already agreed to a smaller one.

Question 16

While walking through an airport,a well-dressed lady walks up to you and pins a flower on your shirt,saying "I'd like you to have this flower on behalf of the Brotherhood of Friends.Would you like to make a donation to our cause?" This lady is attempting to use the _____________ to get your money.

Accepted Answer

The lady is using the norm of reciprocity, which is the social norm of responding in kind to a positive action. By giving you a flower, she is hoping to create a sense of obligation or indebtedness, which will make you more likely to donate money to her cause.

Question 17

What is a difference between obedience and conformity?

Accepted Answer

Obedience involves a power differential between the one who obeys and the one who gives the order, while conformity involves social pressure to behave in a certain way to fit in with a group. In conformity, there is not necessarily a clear difference in status between the conformist and the group, whereas in obedience there usually is. Option B is incorrect because obedience often involves strict adherence to rules, as seen in military or police obedience to orders. Option C is incorrect because obedience is not necessarily indirect; orders can be given directly or indirectly.

Question 18

A dealer persuades a customer to buy a new car by reducing the price to well below that of his competitors.Once the customer has agreed to buy the car,the terms of the sale are shifted by lowering the value of the trade-in and requiring the purchase of expensive extra equipment.Now the car costs well above the current market rate.This is an example of the ______ technique.

Accepted Answer

The low-ball technique involves initially offering a product or service at a lower price than competitors to lure the customer in, and then increasing the price by adding extra costs or lowering trade-in values, as described in the scenario.

Question 19

One form of the norm of reciprocity is when the merchant offers more than the consumer asks for.This is called the ___________ technique.

Accepted Answer

The norm of reciprocity suggests that when someone receives something, they feel obliged to give something in return. In the "that's-not-all" technique, the merchant offers more than the consumer initially asked for, creating a sense of obligation for the consumer to make a purchase as a form of repayment for the merchant's generosity. This technique is commonly used in sales pitches and infomercials to increase sales.

Question 20

A person asks you if you would volunteer to counsel delinquent youths at a detention center for two years.When you refuse,she asks you if you could supervise the youths during a trip to the zoo.She is using the ________

Accepted Answer

The person is using the door-in-the-face technique by initially making a large request (volunteering to counsel delinquent youths) and then following up with a smaller request (supervising youths during a trip to the zoo) after the initial refusal.

Quiz 10: Social Psychology