Deck 10: Processes of Persuasion

Question 1

Which of the following theories of persuasion is grounded in the assumptions of the post-positivist paradigm?

A) Cognitive dissonance theory
B) Inoculation theory
C) The elaboration likelihood model
D) All of the above
E) A and C only

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Ethan believes that honesty is the best policy. Nevertheless, when creating his online dating profile, he exaggerated certain pieces of information to make himself look more attractive. According to cognitive dissonance theory, Ethan's belief and behavior illustrates which of the following assumptions?

A) Our beliefs may be irrelevant to a particular action.
B) Our beliefs may reinforce a particular action.
C) Our beliefs may be inconsistent with our actions.
D) Our beliefs may be consistent with our actions.
E) Our beliefs are unrelated to our actions.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Although she likes to think of herself as a loving, patient, and gentle partner, Suzanne has a really bad temper and often screams and belittles her boyfriend when arguing with him. The discomfort she feels because of the discrepancy between her beliefs about herself as a romantic partner and her actions during their arguments best illustrates:

A) Cognitive dissonance
B) Elaboration likelihood
C) A dissonance ratio
D) Peripheral route processing
E) Inoculation

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The magnitude of a person's cognitive dissonance is affected by all of the following factors, EXCEPT:

A) The perceived importance of the issue
B) The total number of beliefs they hold
C) How many of the person's beliefs are consistent with, versus inconsistent with, his or her behaviors
D) A person's ability to rationalize the dissonance
E) A person's dissonance ratio

Question 5

As a gun control advocate, Mai refuses to look at hunting magazines and online information sponsored by the National Rifle Association. Mai is using which of the following strategies for managing cognitive dissonance?

A) Selective interpretation
Selective retention
B) Selective solicitation
C) Selective attention
D) Selective exposure

Question 6

Cognitive dissonance theory makes all of the following claims, EXCEPT:

A) The discomfort of cognitive dissonance motivates efforts to reduce it or eliminate it.
B) Dissonance can be reduced by changing one's beliefs.
C) Persuasion is best accomplished when communicators avoid cognitive dissonance.
D) Dissonance can be reduced by changing one's perceptions of one's actions.
E) At times, an individual's level of discomfort may be so mild that he or she is able to ignore it.

Question 7

As a supporter of Donald Trump during the 2016 Presidential campaign, Matt only watched conservative news channels and avoided the "liberal media" that might challenge his staunchly conservative views. Matt used which of the following strategies to manage his cognitive dissonance?

A) Selective retention
Selective exposure
B) Selective interpretation
C) Selective attention
D) Selective survival

Question 8

The scholar primarily responsible for developing cognitive dissonance theory is _____, and he did so while studying the social dynamics of a ______.

A) Leon Festinger; cult
B) Dorothy Martin; the 2004 presidential campaign
C) Richard Petty; health organization
D) William McGuire; medical community
E) John Cacioppo; fraternity

Question 9

Which of the following theories of persuasion was developed in an academic discipline other than communication?

A) Cognitive dissonance theory
B) The elaboration likelihood model
C) Inoculation theory
D) All of the above
E) A and B only

Question 10

The ELM assumes all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) People want to hold correct attitudes.
B) Messages are persuasive only if they generate favorable behaviors.
C) People often gauge the correctness of their attitudes by comparing them to the attitudes of others.
D) People's motivation and ability to process information varies.
E) The more interesting a message is to someone, the more likely that person is to think about the information in the message.

Question 11

The extent to which a person carefully thinks about issue-relevant information is called:

A) Inoculation
B) Cognitive dissonance
C) Counterarguing
D) Elaboration likelihood
E) Elaboration

Question 12

According to research using the ELM, which three qualities of a message source are especially influential in the persuasion process?

A) competence, trustworthiness, and goodwill
B) attractiveness, expertise, and goodwill
C) expertise, trustworthiness, and attractiveness
D) physical dress, expertise, and competence
E) cognition, emotion, and behavior

Question 13

Amber is in the market for a new smartphone. Knowing that the iPhone 12 is one of the best-selling smartphones, she reads a ton of information on it so that she can compare the advantages and disadvantages of owning it with the other best-selling smartphones. Her ability to understand the information that Apple provides and her motivation to make a well-informed decision is best explained by which of the following theoretical ideas?

A) Dissonance ratio
B) Elaboration likelihood
C) Inoculation
D) Peripheral route processing
E) Counterarguments

Question 14

The ELM makes all of the following claims, EXCEPT:

A) Most people do not use either central or peripheral route processing exclusively - they alternate between the two.
B) People use one of two methods to process a message depending on their level of elaboration.
C) Stable attitude change is best achieved through central processing.
D) The central and peripheral routes do not differ in the strength of attitude change, but only in the amount of change they produce.
E) When people are distracted by elements in the environment, their ability to pay attention to a message is decreased.

Question 15

According to the ELM, attitudes formed through central processing are:

A) Less persistent over time.
B) More resistant to change.
C) More susceptible to counterarguments.
D) All of the above.
E) A and C only.

Question 16

As the parent of a young child, Steven believes that spanking can be an effective form of child discipline when it is measured and accompanied with an explanation. At the pediatrician's office, however, he discovers a magazine article claiming that spanking is ineffective and psychologically harmful to children. According to inoculation theory, Steven's encounter with the magazine article represents a(n):

A) Inoculation
B) Dissonant cognition
C) Counterargument
D) Threat
E) Refutational preemption

Question 17

Refutational preemption is the process of presenting _____ and _____ at the same time.

A) Counterarguments; refutations
B) Threats; counterarguments
C) Threats; refutations
D) Inoculation messages; refutations
E) Counterarguments; inoculation message

Question 18

While discussing President Trump's immigration ban, Carlos is shocked to find out that his best friend Jose supports the move and is taken aback when he begins to criticize Carlos for being unpatriotic. According to inoculation theory, Carlos has just experienced a(n):

A) Explicit threat
B) Inoculation message
C) Dissonant cognition
D) Refutational preemption
E) Implicit threat

Question 19

Inoculation theory makes all of the following claims, EXCEPT:

A) People can be inoculated against persuasive messages.
B) Inoculation is a preventative strategy.
C) Inoculation can protect only attitudes or beliefs that are already in place.
D) Exposing people to arguments that weakly threaten their attitudes, and then refuting those arguments, enhances people's own abilities to protect their attitudes.
E) When it comes to involvement, inoculation messages work best at high levels of involvement.

Question 20

Researchers have shown that inoculation is successful at protecting people from persuasive attempts for all of the following issues, EXCEPT:

A) Banning animal testing
B) Legalizing marijuana
C) Dismantling nuclear arms
D) Resisting alcohol use
E) Protecting against credit card abuse

Question 21

Inoculation theory explains how people use either central or peripheral processing to make sense of counterarguments.

Question 22

According to cognitive dissonance theory, someone with multiple dissonant cognitions will experience more intense cognitive dissonance than someone who has fewer dissonant cognitions.

Question 23

In general, we are more likely to think carefully and critically when a message comes from an expert.

Question 24

According to the ELM, people tend to use peripheral route processing when elaboration is low.

Question 25

According to inoculation theory, receiving an inoculation message improves people's ability to resist later persuasive attempts.

Question 26

The use of communication to influence someone's attitudes, beliefs, intentions, or behaviors is referred to as ______.

Question 27

The ELM assumes that messages are persuasive only if they generate favorable thoughts. In this way, the ELM is like cognitive dissonance theory in that both theories are strongly ________.

Question 28

A mental state characterized by tension between competing attitudes and behaviors is referred to as ________.

Question 29

Selective ______ involves avoiding information that contradicts a person's behaviors or beliefs, whereas selective _______ means paying attention to information that supports our viewpoints while ignoring or discounting information that does not.

Question 30

Inoculation theory takes a _______ approach to explaining and predicting human behavior.