Question 1

A soccer team of 4^th graders is down 2-0 at halftime. Their coach says, "I want to see some fire in your belly. You have to want this. Give everything you've got for the next 45 minutes. Win or lose, when you leave the field today I want you to think 'I did my best, I couldn't have tried any harder.'" Their coach is relying primarily on:

Accepted Answer

The coach is using an emotional appeal to motivate the team by encouraging them to tap into their inner desire to win and give it their all. The coach is not using fear or guilt tactics, source credibility or ingratiation to motivate the team.

Question 2

According to Gass & Seiter, which of the following is an important ethical consideration related to the use of fear appeals?

Accepted Answer

The harmful consequences portrayed in the fear appeal must be real or genuine. This is an important ethical consideration to avoid misleading or manipulating the audience. Mild or moderate fear appeals can also be effective, but their ethical considerations are not as crucial as the genuineness of the harmful consequences.

Question 3

Which of the following statements best characterizes the authors' view of deception as an influence strategy?

Accepted Answer

The authors suggest that the ethicality of deception as an influence strategy depends on the persuader's motives. They argue that deception is more acceptable when it is used to benefit others or promote social harmony, as opposed to self-serving deception that is solely used to benefit the persuader. Therefore, the authors do not support the notion that honesty is always the best policy or that "white" lies are acceptable.

Question 4

The ideal persuader, according to Robert Cialdini, is a

Accepted Answer

Robert Cialdini describes the ideal persuader as a "sleuth," someone who carefully investigates and understands the principles of persuasion to apply them ethically and effectively.

Question 5

A student who cheated on a test is meeting with a professor. The professors asks, "Is this the kind of person you want to be? Does a grade matter more to you than your integrity? Your moral character matters more than a grade on a test." The professor is emphasizing

Accepted Answer

The professor is emphasizing the importance of the student's moral character, which is a central tenet of virtue ethics. The focus is on the person's character and what kind of person they want to be, rather than just the consequences of their actions (utilitarianism) or whether the ends justify the means (ends versus means) or whether there is no inherent morality (amoralism).

Question 6

This persuasive strategy is inadvisable, except as a last resort, since it tends to diminish the esteem of the receiver, is damaging to relationships, and can trigger aggression toward the persuader.

Accepted Answer

The description matches the use of threats of punishment as a persuasive strategy. It is considered inadvisable except as a last resort because it can lower the esteem of the person being persuaded, harm relationships, and potentially provoke aggression towards the person making the threat.

Question 7

The discussion of fear mongering offered in the text revealed that the greatest threat to public health is

Accepted Answer

Skin cancer poses a significant public health threat due to its high incidence rates and the potential for severe outcomes, including death, if not detected and treated early. Other options, while concerning, do not have the same widespread impact on public health.

Question 8

When attempting to influence children, persuaders must consider all of the following guidelines except

Accepted Answer

Avoiding reasoning and assuming that children lack critical thinking skills is not a responsible approach to influencing children. Persuaders should instead respect children's abilities to think and reason, and present their arguments in a logical and understandable way. Asking for permission from parents or guardians, using age-appropriate language, and ensuring that the intended influence is in the best interest of the child are all important guidelines to consider.

Question 9

In regards to source credibility, Gass & Seiter argue that

Accepted Answer

Gass & Seiter argue that relying solely on source credibility as the principle means of persuasion does not encourage critical thinking and can lead to blindly accepting information from sources that may not be credible. While primary dimensions of credibility, such as expertise and trustworthiness, are important to consider, relying on the secondary dimensions, such as attractiveness, can lead to superficial judgments about the source rather than the content of the message. Therefore, it is important for receivers to also consider the evidence or proof contained in a persuasive message and not just rely on the source's credibility.

Question 10

According to your text, which of the following persuasive strategies is the most ethical?

Accepted Answer

The ethics of a persuasive strategy can significantly depend on the persuader's motives. Without understanding the intention behind the use of a particular strategy, it's challenging to determine its ethical standing. Different contexts and motives can render a strategy more or less ethical.

Question 11

Which of the following statements best summarizes the authors' ethical position regarding the use of emotional appeals to persuade?

Accepted Answer

The authors believe that emotional appeals are acceptable as long as they are used in combination with reasoning and evidence. They do not argue that emotional appeals are inherently bad or should only be used as a last resort. Additionally, they do not make any mention of emotional appeals relying on negative, antisocial appeals.

Question 12

The best way to protect yourself and loved ones from disease is to

Accepted Answer

Getting a flu shot is one of the most effective ways to protect oneself and others from the flu and its potentially severe medical complications.

Question 13

In an attempt to persuade, Loretta uses ineffective strategies and tactics. According to Robert Cialdini, Loretta is unskilled in persuasion and is a

Accepted Answer

"Bungler" means someone who is clumsy or unskilled in a particular task, whereas "sleuth" means a detective, "smuggler" means someone who illegally transports goods, and "baffler" means someone who confuses or perplexes others. Out of the given options, "bungler" best describes someone who is ineffective in persuasion.

Question 14

A persuader who listened as much as she or he talked, and who was open to being persuaded, not just to persuading, would be demonstrating

Accepted Answer

The answer of A persuader who listened as much as...

Question 15

Gass & Seiter's view of using subliminal messages to persuade is that

Accepted Answer

Gass & Seiter's view is that subliminal messages are ineffective, so from an ethical standpoint, they are irrelevant. They argue that people are not passive receivers of messages and can detect and process information even if it is presented subliminally. Therefore, using subliminal messages to persuade people is not an effective strategy, and it raises ethical concerns about deception and manipulation.

Question 16

A person who believed she or he had a moral duty or obligation to follow a certain course of action (such as a whistleblower who felt she or he had to disclose the truth, even if it meant going to jail.)

Accepted Answer

The person described in the question is following deontological ethics, which focuses on moral duty and obligation rather than the consequences of an action (as in utilitarianism) or the specific context or situation (as in situational ethics). The concept of an individual feeling compelled to act based on a sense of duty or obligation is central to deontological ethics.

Question 17

A salesperson who viewed customers as "marks," or "suckers" would be lacking in which characteristic of ethical persuasion?

Accepted Answer

Respect is a fundamental characteristic of ethical persuasion. Treating customers as marks or suckers does not show respect for their intelligence, autonomy, or right to make their own decisions. It also violates the principle of honesty, as it involves deceiving or manipulating customers for personal gain. Tolerance, equality, and likeability are important as well, but they do not address this specific issue.

Question 18

Gass & Seiter do not believe ________________ should be used as a criterion for distinguishing ethical versus unethical influence attempts.

Accepted Answer

Gass & Seiter do not believe that intentionality should be used as a criterion for distinguishing ethical versus unethical influence attempts, as intentions can be difficult to discern and may not always align with outcomes.

Quiz 1: Why Study Persuasion