Deck 9: Reference Groups and Word-Of-Mouth

Question 1

________ are groups that serve as sources of comparison, influence, and norms for people's opinions, values, and behaviors.

A) Age cohorts
B) Reference groups
C) Norming groups
D) Norming cohorts
E) Symbolic groups

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The consumer's earliest and often most influential reference group is ________.

A) the family
B) their religious organization
C) their classmates
D) their friends
E) their heroes

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Bill is an avid coin collector and belongs to a coin collectors' club, receiving a monthly magazine and invitations to exclusive events. This coin collectors' club is an example of a(n) ________ group.

A) comparative
B) normative
C) membership
D) informal
E) symbolic

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A communicator's expertise, objectivity, and trustworthiness refer to ________.

A) corporate social responsibility
B) ethics
C) source credibility
D) expert power
E) none of the above

Question 5

Referral programs, which offer rewards to current members who convince others to join, are an important element of ________.

A) friendship groups
B) shopping groups
C) virtual communities
D) advocacy groups
E) aspirational groups

Question 6

Professional tennis players may constitute a(n) ________ group for an amateur tennis player who identifies with certain players by imitating their behavior whenever possible despite the fact that the amateur tennis player does not qualify for membership as a professional tennis player because he/she has neither the skills nor the opportunity to compete professionally.

A) comparative
B) normative
C) membership
D) informal
E) symbolic

Question 7

Standing in a crowd waiting for a retail shopping experience, shoppers see themselves as making the right buying decision - a concept known as ________.

A) diffusion of responsibility
B) diffusion of innovation
C) social queuing
D) social loafing
E) social proof

Question 8

John is a member of a small Harley-Davidson motorcycle club. Members meet once a week to ride and talk about their bikes. This club might exert a ________ influence on John as he decides which model of bike he buys for his girlfriend.

A) referent power
B) normative
C) coercive power
D) legitimate power
E) none of the above

Question 9

A group to which a person either belongs or would qualify to belong to is called a(n) ________ group.

A) comparative
B) normative
C) membership
D) informal
E) symbolic

Question 10

When Joe wanted to get a new outboard motor for his sailboat, he consulted a forum for British Seagull motors and connected with Jim. Jim gave him information about the outboard motor he was considering. Jim, the individual Joe met and respected online who gave him product information and advice, is an example of a(n) ________.

A) symbolic source
B) formal source
C) informal source
D) normative source
E) comparative source

Question 11

Chris tells his father about a great new restaurant. Chris is practicing ________.

A) word-of-mouth communication
B) social advertising
C) group advertising
D) viral advertising
E) celebrity endorsement

Question 12

Sheila admires her boss, Jerry, so she aspires to live her lifestyle and have similar possessions. Jerry exerts ________ influence on Sheila.

A) comparative
B) normative
C) membership
D) informal
E) symbolic

Question 13

________, or the source's persuasive impact, stems from its perceived expertise, trustworthiness, and believability.

A) Source recognition
B) Source encoding
C) Source decoding
D) Source degradation
E) Source credibility

Question 14

________ reference groups influence broadly defined values or behavior.

A) Comparative
B) Normative
C) Membership
D) Informal
E) Symbolic

Question 15

A(n) ________ provides expertise regarding a particular product category, reduces uncertainty related to making an incorrect purchase, or increases consumer confidence because it provides a collective decision.

A) friendship group
B) shopping group
C) virtual community
D) advocacy group
E) aspirational group

Question 16

A(n) ________ provides companionship, security, and opportunities to discuss problems that an individual might be reluctant to discuss with family members.

A) friendship group
B) shopping group
C) virtual community
D) advocacy group
E) aspirational group

Question 17

________ reference groups serve as benchmarks for specific or narrowly defined attitudes or behavior.

A) Comparative
B) Normative
C) Membership
D) Informal
E) Symbolic

Question 18

A(n) ________ group is one in which an individual is not likely to receive membership, despite acting like a member by adopting the group's values, attitudes, and behavior.

A) comparative
B) normative
C) membership
D) informal
E) symbolic

Question 19

A(n) ________ is an actual or imaginary individual or group conceived of having significant relevance upon an individual's evaluations, aspirations, or behavior.

A) opinion group
B) demographic group
C) reference group
D) focus group
E) formal group

Question 20

The key factor underlying the persuasive impact of a personal or interpersonal message received from either a formal or informal source is ________.

A) the number of times the message is sent
B) the source's credibility
C) the number of times the message is received
D) the type of broadcast medium used
E) the extent to which the receiver's peers understand the message

Question 21

A group of foodies that Kathleen has never met and only interacts with through online websites and a Facebook group, where group members share recipes and recommendations, is an example of a(n) ________.

A) friendship group
B) shopping group
C) virtual community
D) advocacy group
E) aspirational group

Question 22

________ consists of promoting a company's image without referring to any of its offerings.

A) Institutional advertising
B) Family branding
C) Umbrella positioning
D) Formal advertising
E) Informal advertising

Question 23

John thought he had been cheated by a local Chevrolet car dealership. He was so upset that he created a website to share his story with the world. What is the most likely result of John's action?

A) Most readers will think that John is a little nutty and ignore his website.
B) John's website will decrease the credibility of the dealership's ad and will influence potential buyers to stay away from the dealership.
C) Even if it is read extensively, John's website will have little effect on how people see the dealership or John.
D) The website will actually increase sales at the dealership by giving them free advertisements.
E) none of the above

Question 24

Consumers with low ________ are more likely to seek the advice or example of others.

A) conformity
B) group power
C) individual experience
D) individual personality
E) conspicuousness

Question 25

________ sources generally have more credibility than ________ sources.

A) For-profit; not-for-profit
B) Not-for-profit; for-profit
C) Neutral; for-profit
D) For-profit; neutral
E) Neutral; negative

Question 26

Before e-readers, many women avoided reading printed erotica books in public because they felt the titles and covers of the books would reflect badly on them. The use of e-readers made the consumption of erotica books in public less ________.

A) stigmatized
B) conformist
C) conspicuous
D) influential
E) acceptable

Question 27

Which of the following statements is true about spokespersons?

A) When message comprehension is low, the expertise of the spokesperson has little impact on the receiver's attitude.
B) A physically attractive model always enhances message credibility.
C) Consumers with strong ethnic identities are more likely to be persuaded by endorsers with similar ethnicity than individuals with weaker ethnic identities.
D) The endorser's credibility substitutes for corporate credibility, therefore, companies are sure to hire highly credible spokespeople to overcome the lacking credibility of the company itself.
E) As long as a celebrity is giving the testimonial, it doesn't matter whether or not the specific wording of the endorsement lies within the recognized competence of the spokesperson.

Question 28

Individuals may be influenced to conform to a group based on the group's ________, but they are unlikely to change their attitudes or internalize their choices if they conform for this reason.

A) attractiveness
B) power
C) experience
D) personality
E) conspicuousness

Question 29

A group of irate parents who join together to protest the opening of an adult, X-rated bookstore across from the elementary school is an example of a(n) ________.

A) friendship group
B) shopping group
C) virtual community
D) advocacy group
E) aspirational group

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT something a reference group must do to influence its members?

A) inform or make members aware that the brand or product exists
B) provide the individual with the means or capital to purchase the product
C) provide the individual with the opportunity to compare his or her own thinking with the attitudes and behavior of the group
D) influence the individual to adopt attitudes and behavior that are consistent with the group's norms
E) legitimize the member's decision to use the same products as other members

Question 31

Which of the following is a characteristic of a conformist?

A) They always pay close attention to others' reactions to their behaviors.
B) They often pick up slang expressions from others and start using them.
C) They change their mannerisms and approaches if they feel someone they are interacting with disapproves of them.
D) They are guided by others' behavior if they feel unsure how to behave in a situation.
E) All of the above are characteristics of conformists.

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT one of the dimensions in measuring the credibility of a person or organization?

A) expertise
B) perseverance
C) trustworthiness
D) attractiveness
E) likability

Question 33

The degree of ________ that a reference group exerts on an individual's behavior depends on the individual, product, and social factors.

A) personality
B) experience
C) conspicuousness
D) intensity
E) influence

Question 34

A(n) ________ assists consumers in making consumption decisions and supports consumers' rights.

A) friendship group
B) shopping group
C) virtual community
D) advocacy group
E) aspirational group

Question 35

The degree of reference group influence on purchase decisions varies according to product ________, or how much it stands out and is noticed by others.

A) conformity
B) power
C) experience
D) personality
E) conspicuousness

Question 36

________ is the believability of the endorser, spokesperson, or individual in an advertisement.

A) Source degradation
B) Source informality
C) Source formality
D) Source credibility
E) Source attractiveness

Question 37

What is the group's power, the individual's level of expertise with the product, and the conspicuousness of the product called?

A) conformity
B) group power
C) individual experience
D) individual personality
E) conspicuousness

Question 38

Marketers of new brands or brands that are not market leaders may argue against ________, trying to convince consumers not to follow the crowd.

A) conformity
B) group power
C) individual experience
D) individual personality
E) conspicuousness

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT one of the factors that affects the relationship between the effectiveness of messages and the spokespersons or endorsers they feature?

A) synergy between the endorser and the type of product/service advertised
B) similarity between the endorser's demographic characteristics and those of the target audience
C) the trust the consumer has in the marketer of the advertised product
D) whether the spokesperson is a member of a symbolic reference group
E) the congruency of the contents of the message with the spokespersons' qualifications

Question 40

Which of the following is a characteristic of a conformist?

A) They prefer wearing stylish clothing and pay attention to what others are wearing.
B) They are inner-directed when it comes to ascertaining the right way to behave.
C) They are not interested in fitting in during social gatherings.
D) They behave the way they feel is right, regardless of what others might think.
E) They are unlikely to change their mannerisms and approaches.

Question 41

When Damon filled out a survey for the sporting goods store he favors, it asked him to respond to items that asked for his agreement on items about his influence on his friends. These items were attempting to measure his opinion leadership using the ________ method.

A) heuristic
B) key informant
C) self-designated
D) sociometric
E) Klout

Question 42

In which product category would the role of the opinion leader during the decision-making process likely be most important to the marketer?

A) laundry detergent
B) television sets
C) automobiles
D) doctors
E) computers

Question 43

When celebrity/pro golfer Phil Mickelson appears in a commercial to talk about his experience with a prescription medication for arthritis, he is serving as a ________.

A) celebrity testimonial
B) celebrity endorsement
C) celebrity actor
D) celebrity spokesperson
E) celebrity official

Question 44

Opinion leadership tends to be ________.

A) brand specific
B) price-point specific
C) universal
D) category specific
E) culturally specific

Question 45

A celebrity's credibility is reduced when he or she endorses a variety of products because ________.

A) the economic motivation underlying the celebrity's endorsements becomes too pronounced
B) the celebrity becomes less famous
C) teens find celebrities more authentic than other customers
D) the celebrity has positive associations with the products
E) almost a quarter of advertisements use a celebrity spokesperson

Question 46

The key basis for message credibility is ________.

A) the ability of the product, service, or brand, to deliver consistent quality, value, and satisfaction to consumers
B) the medium in which the message is delivered
C) the time of day at which the message is delivered
D) the synergies between the brand spokesperson and the product itself
E) the rate of repetition of the advertisement

Question 47

The image of Vogue magazine adds status to the products advertised within the magazine. This is an example of ________.

A) message credibility
B) celebrity credibility
C) medium credibility
D) general credibility
E) time credibility

Question 48

Products sold by well-known, quality stores that carry the added endorsement (and implicit guarantee) of the store itself (e.g., "If Amazon.com recommends it, it must be a good book") is referred to as ________.

A) medium credibility
B) salesperson credibility
C) celebrity endorsement credibility
D) vendor credibility
E) none of the above

Question 49

Which of the following is NOT one of the motivations of opinion leaders?

A) reduce post-purchase dissonance
B) reduce search and shopping time
C) gain attention from others
D) show off expertise
E) gain experience converting others

Question 50

A ________ is when celebrities appear on behalf of products with which they may or may not have any direct experience or familiarity, for extended periods of time.

A) celebrity testimonial
B) celebrity endorsement
C) celebrity actor
D) celebrity spokescharacter
E) celebrity official

Question 51

Celebrity credibility includes the audience's perceptions of the celebrity's ________ and ________.

A) fame; talent
B) charisma; talent
C) expertise; charisma
D) fame; trustworthiness
E) expertise; trustworthiness

Question 52

The key characteristic of the influence associated with opinion leadership is that ________.

A) it is interpersonal and formal and takes place between two or more people, none of whom represents a commercial selling source that would gain directly from the sale of something
B) it is impersonal and informal and takes place between two or more people, none of whom represents a commercial selling source that would gain directly from the sale of something
C) it is interpersonal and informal and takes place between two or more people, none of whom represents a commercial selling source that would gain directly from the sale of something
D) it is impersonal and formal and takes place between two or more people, none of whom represents a commercial selling source that would gain directly from the sale of something
E) it is interpersonal and informal and takes place between two or more people, one of whom represents a commercial selling source that would gain directly from the sale of something

Question 53

The process by which one person informally influences the actions or attitudes of others is known as ________.

A) targeting
B) positioning
C) opinion leadership
D) referencing
E) blogging

Question 54

A ________ involves a celebrity who attests to the product's quality based on his/her own personal usage of the product.

A) celebrity testimonial
B) celebrity endorsement
C) celebrity actor
D) celebrity spokesperson
E) celebrity official

Question 55

Chuck Norris appears in social media for Era detergent, because he is tough on bad guys and the detergent is tough on stains. If he does not mention his own personal experience with the product, it is an example of a ________.

A) celebrity testimonial
B) celebrity endorsement
C) celebrity actor
D) celebrity spokesperson
E) celebrity official

Question 56

Which of the following does NOT enhance the credibility of a salesperson?

A) looking the customer/prospect in the eye
B) outward signs of success
C) driving an expensive, late-model car
D) dressing the part of an expert
E) All of the above enhance the credibility of a salesperson.

Question 57

Which of the following is a characteristic of an opinion leader?

A) They lack self-confidence.
B) They are withdrawn in social situations.
C) They belong to different socioeconomic groups than the opinion receivers.
D) They follow new products that come into the markets in the product category.
E) They are part of the early majority in their area of expertise.

Question 58

________, or the reputation of the retailer who sells the product, has a major influence on message credibility.

A) Vendor aura
B) Vendor credibility
C) Retail aura
D) Advertiser credibility
E) Advertiser aura

Question 59

A salesperson who "looks you in the eye" often is perceived as more honest than one who evades direct eye contact. This is referred to as ________.

A) celebrity endorsement credibility
B) medium credibility
C) vendor credibility
D) salesperson credibility
E) none of the above

Question 60

The ________ method of measuring opinion leadership employs a self-administered questionnaire that requires respondents to evaluate the extent to which they have provided others with information about a product category or brand.

A) heuristic
B) key informant
C) self-designating
D) sociometric
E) challenge

Question 61

A ________ score increases as the Twitter starts conversations and inspires social actions.

A) heuristic
B) key informant
C) self-designated
D) sociometric
E) Klout

Question 62

The ________ method measures opinion leadership by tracking person-to-person communications about a product or brand among members of a community where most people know each other by name.

A) heuristic
B) key informant
C) self-designated
D) sociometric
E) Klout

Question 63

________ are specialized, non-geographically bound communities formed on the basis of attachment to a product or brand.

A) Buzz marketers
B) Brand communities
C) Branded marketers
D) Opinion leaders
E) Publicity

Question 64

The members of the ________ category of adopters are the very last consumers to purchase a new product. They are generally high risk-perceivers and the last ones to recognize the value of innovative products.

A) innovator
B) early adopter
C) early majority
D) late majority
E) laggard

Question 65

STUMBLEUPON MINI CASE: StumbleUpon calls itself a "discovery engine" because, at one time, 50.27% of all traffic from a top 10 list of social sites came from StumbleUpon. Their relatively small group of users (15 million) often out-refers the larger user base from Facebook (over 1.15 billion). In fact, the influential users of StumbleUpon generate 1 billion page referrals per month. Their users, called "Stumblers," introduce other Stumblers and non-users to web content, providing a "map to an adventure you wouldn't otherwise have found out about." The influence of these Stumblers was deemed valuable by film marketers, who worked with StumbleUpon to promote films like Jurassic Park 3D and Evil Dead. Stumblers are young and highly engaged, so studios see the personalized search engine, which "learns" the preferences of its Stumblers, as a way to reach early influencers.
In the STUMBLEUPON MINI CASE, if the Stumblers are the first people to go see a new movie, they are considered ________.

A) consumer innovators
B) nonadopters
C) laggards
D) trial drivers
E) test consumers

Question 66

The three dimensions underlying consumers' engagement in ________ are tie strength, similarity among group members, and source credibility.

A) e-WOM
B) impersonal communication
C) brand credibility
D) opinion leadership
E) publicity

Question 67

A ________, or a person who is knowledgeable about the nature of the social communications among members of a specific group, can identify individuals in the group who are opinion leaders.

A) heuristic
B) key informant
C) self-designated
D) sociometric
E) Klout

Question 68

BZZAGENT MINI CASE: BzzAgent is a word-of-mouth marketing agency that runs brand advocate programs for global brands. It recently partnered with a company to pair its social media and word-of-mouth insights with shopper loyalty data. The results indicated that consumers who were making repeat purchases were also more engaged and created a higher volume of advocacy. The information from this study is important to marketers, who are trying to find ways to engage advocates and influencers, especially via social media. Marketers are trying to figure out the characteristics of individuals who are most likely to influence others.
In the BZZAGENT MINI CASE, which of the following is a likely motivation for the individuals who influence others?

A) reduce post-purchase dissonance
B) gain experience converting others
C) gain attention from others
D) show off expertise
E) all of the above

Question 69

STUMBLEUPON MINI CASE: StumbleUpon calls itself a "discovery engine" because, at one time, 50.27% of all traffic from a top 10 list of social sites came from StumbleUpon. Their relatively small group of users (15 million) often out-refers the larger user base from Facebook (over 1.15 billion). In fact, the influential users of StumbleUpon generate 1 billion page referrals per month. Their users, called "Stumblers," introduce other Stumblers and non-users to web content, providing a "map to an adventure you wouldn't otherwise have found out about." The influence of these Stumblers was deemed valuable by film marketers, who worked with StumbleUpon to promote films like Jurassic Park 3D and Evil Dead. Stumblers are young and highly engaged, so studios see the personalized search engine, which "learns" the preferences of its Stumblers, as a way to reach early influencers.
In the STUMBLEUPON MINI CASE, the influencers are expert informal sources of information, also known as ________.

A) salespeople
B) Consumer Reports
C) opinion leaders
D) spokespeople
E) buzz agents

Question 70

Which of the following is true of the characteristics of risk-averse consumers?

A) They tend to be outer-directed.
B) They are not dogmatic.
C) They have a low need for conformity.
D) They are unlikely to be brand loyal.
E) When assembled or unassembled products are available, they buy assembled versions of products, even if they are a bit more expensive.

Question 71

The ________ constitutes the first half of the "mass market" of consumers who would purchase a somewhat-established product.

A) innovator
B) early adopter
C) early majority
D) late majority
E) laggard

Question 72

STUMBLEUPON MINI CASE: StumbleUpon calls itself a "discovery engine" because, at one time, 50.27% of all traffic from a top 10 list of social sites came from StumbleUpon. Their relatively small group of users (15 million) often out-refers the larger user base from Facebook (over 1.15 billion). In fact, the influential users of StumbleUpon generate 1 billion page referrals per month. Their users, called "Stumblers," introduce other Stumblers and non-users to web content, providing a "map to an adventure you wouldn't otherwise have found out about." The influence of these Stumblers was deemed valuable by film marketers, who worked with StumbleUpon to promote films like Jurassic Park 3D and Evil Dead. Stumblers are young and highly engaged, so studios see the personalized search engine, which "learns" the preferences of its Stumblers, as a way to reach early influencers.
In the STUMBLEUPON MINI CASE, the Stumblers are engaged in ________ when they advocate on behalf of products, like films, in social networks, brand communities, and blogs.

A) e-WOM
B) impersonal communication
C) brand credibility
D) opinion leadership
E) publicity

Question 73

Fred's faith in Asics, his favorite brand of running shoes, makes him consider other offerings introduced by Asics. Fred is not a risk-taker, and he tends to evaluate each new product carefully before adopting it. Fred is an opinion leader in his social networking community and best described as a(n) ________.

A) lagging adopter
B) innovator
C) early adopter
D) early mainstream adopter
E) late mainstream adopter

Question 74

________ are considered expert informal sources of information.

A) Salespeople
B) Consumer Reports
C) Opinion leaders
D) Spokespeople
E) Buzz agents

Question 75

The members of the ________ category of adopters take a relatively long time to evaluate whether or not they would benefit from owning a product and, most likely, perceive more risk in all consumption situations than members of the preceding adopter groups.

A) innovator
B) early adopter
C) early majority
D) late majority
E) laggard

Question 76

The first people to purchase a new product are considered ________.

A) consumer innovators
B) nonadopters
C) laggards
D) trial drivers
E) test consumers

Question 77

The ________ category tends to perceive little risk in adopting new products. These consumers are even willing to pay high prices for newly introduced products because they enjoy being the first to own them.

A) innovator
B) early adopter
C) early majority
D) late majority
E) laggard

Question 78

Innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards are all ________.

A) adopter categories
B) diffusion stages
C) communications theories
D) marketing strategies
E) innovation strategies

Question 79

BZZAGENT MINI CASE: BzzAgent is a word-of-mouth marketing agency that runs brand advocate programs for global brands. It recently partnered with a company to pair its social media and word-of-mouth insights with shopper loyalty data. The results indicated that consumers who were making repeat purchases were also more engaged and created a higher volume of advocacy. The information from this study is important to marketers, who are trying to find ways to engage advocates and influencers, especially via social media. Marketers are trying to figure out the characteristics of individuals who are most likely to influence others.
In the BZZAGENT MINI CASE, marketers are interested in finding individuals who influence others. The process by which one influential person informally influences the actions or attitudes of others is known as ________.

A) targeting
B) positioning
C) opinion leadership
D) referencing
E) blogging

Question 80

BZZAGENT MINI CASE: BzzAgent is a word-of-mouth marketing agency that runs brand advocate programs for global brands. It recently partnered with a company to pair its social media and word-of-mouth insights with shopper loyalty data. The results indicated that consumers who were making repeat purchases were also more engaged and created a higher volume of advocacy. The information from this study is important to marketers, who are trying to find ways to engage advocates and influencers, especially via social media. Marketers are trying to figure out the characteristics of individuals who are most likely to influence others.
In the BZZAGENT MINI CASE, the desirable brand advocates are engaged in ________ when they advocate on behalf of products in social networks, brand communities, and blogs.

A) brand credibility
B) impersonal communication
C) e-WOM
D) adoption
E) publicity