Deck 11: Social Influences on Consumer Behavior

Question 1

When our consumer freedom is being threatened,a boomerang effect occurs and we engage in reactance.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

____ are examples of marketer-dominated sources delivered through mass media.

A) Salespeople, service representatives, and customer service agents
B) Word of mouth and consumer complaints
C) Consumer Reports and magazine test ratings
D) Predissonance schemas and prototypes
E) Advertising and infomercials

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Groups' influence on consumers is strong primarily because

A) people have a hard time forming their own opinions.
B) groups are the basis for society.
C) the information source is very credible.
D) it is a visual rather than an auditory source of information.
E) there is harmful and helpful information available.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Serena Williams is endorsing golf equipment called Look Pretty Tennis.As a spokesperson for Look Pretty Tennis,she is an opinion leader.

Question 5

In an embedded market environment,the social relationship you have with a seller will most likely affect the way you react to his or her selling efforts.

Question 6

Sometimes the best way for a company to handle negative word of mouth is to do nothing.

Question 7

Groups that demonstrate a high degree of similarity among members are said to have a high degree of homophily.

Question 8

Beltha's parents always thought of her as a model child.She was independent and made her own responsible decisions,but not before careful consultation with her parents and others who could help her.One day they noticed a change in her behavior.She started skipping class,wearing strange clothes,and watching Beavis and Butthead reruns all day long with a group of new friends.Her behavior had become just like that of her new friends.This can best be thought of as an example of how groups can induce

A) socially appropriate behaviors.
B) socially appropriate, morally correct, and in almost all cases, quite healthy behaviors.
C) high levels of consumption.
D) socially inappropriate behaviors.
E) different tastes in advertising.

Question 9

Children use brand names as cues for consumer decisions by the time they are five years old.

Question 10

Children who are 20 months old can recognize the difference between boy toys and girl toys.

Question 11

A primary reference group includes family,peers,professors,and online chat groups.

Question 12

Angry Birds is an example of using buzz via online activities,social media activities,word of mouth and public relations to build excitement.

Question 13

Dr.Sorta Rich is a well-known cardiologist and is respected by many.Pfizer contacts him to set up a study for a new medication.Pfizer knows if they get his endorsement others will follow Dr.Sorta Rich because he is considered credible and unbiased.

Question 14

Richard rides his Harley-Davidson around the country attending events that Harley Davidson sets up.He does this because he likes meeting other Harley-Davidson riders.Harley-Davidson is creating a brand community.

Question 15

Negative information may prompt consumers to attribute problems to the offering itself,not to the consumer who uses it.

Question 16

Certain individuals within groups are influential because

A) consumers need someone to follow.
B) their power of expertise makes others want to follow.
C) of coercion most of the time.
D) of the need for cognition.
E) of the need for group affect elicited by certain individuals.

Question 17

Korean consumers may be more susceptible to normative influence than U.S.consumers are.

Question 18

Kenya's family gets together every Saturday to play board games.Kenya's family,in this situation,is considered a dense group.

Question 19

Consumers purchasing electronic appliances often use informational influence when making a decision about which appliance to purchase.

Question 20

Social influence can be great in all of the following situations except when

A) the information is communicated by an outgroup member.
B) the information source is credible.
C) the source can communicate widely.
D) individuals are part of one group.
E) opinions are communicated by the leader of a group.

Question 21

News suddenly appeared in the Associated Press that a brand of soft drink has been tested and found to prolong your life.This information is likely to be seen as more ____ than if similar information appeared from a marketer-dominated source.

A) credible
B) visual
C) formal
D) well organized
E) manipulative

Question 22

A reference group is best thought of as a set of people

A) who are related by common generational values and share the same fashions or fads.
B) with whom individuals compare themselves to guide their attitudes, knowledge, and/or behavior.
C) who have a similar set of needs and goals spread over time.
D) who have a similar socioeconomic level and can provide a reference point for marketers to target.
E) who are high in need for cognition upon whom marketers can rely for information.

Question 23

Whenever Carol needed to buy a computer,she asks her friend Reda for advice.Reda works for a university's computer lab and is considered an expert in the computer product category.Reda is a(n)

A) opinion leader.
B) reference leader.
C) weak tie coordinator.
D) market maven.
E) busybody.

Question 24

Access to the Internet and satellite TV allows greater numbers of consumers to see a marketing message,thus increasing its

A) motivation.
B) credibility.
C) attention.
D) reach.
E) ability of consumers to process the information.

Question 25

People become opinion leaders because they

A) have no vested interest in whether consumers actually heed their opinions.
B) are dissatisfied with their present knowledge of a product category.
C) have an intrinsic interest in and enjoyment of products.
D) dislike the products.
E) have a need to be alone.

Question 26

____ is (are)important primarily for providing a two-way flow of information.

A) The Internet
B) Media sources of information
C) Marketer-dominated sources of information
D) Consumer Reports
E) Personally delivered sources of influence

Question 27

____ is (are)an example of a marketer-dominated source of persuasive information that is delivered by mass media.

A) A customer service representative
B) Rumors
C) Sales promotions
D) A salesperson
E) MADD

Question 28

Opinion leaders might have all of the following characteristics except that they

A) learn a lot about the products.
B) are close-mouthed.
C) are self confident.
D) tend to buy new product variants when they are first introduced to the market.
E) are willing to share product-relevant information.

Question 29

Opinion leaders play an important role in other consumers' acceptance of new offerings primarily because they are

A) attractive.
B) part of the consumer's reference group.
C) opinionated.
D) personal.
E) credible.

Question 30

Opinion leaders have an influence primarily because they

A) dislike the products.
B) have a satisfaction with their present knowledge of a product category.
C) have a need to be alone.
D) have no vested interest in whether consumers actually heed their opinions.
E) have an intrinsic interest in and enjoyment of products.

Question 31

Caroline saw a believable advertisement that had a female customer,who looked and talked just like herself,tell about her experience with the Automated Homework Aid System.This is an example of how ____ can be effective.

A) attributions
B) testimonials
C) sales pitches
D) vivid visuals
E) mystery ads

Question 32

____ reference groups are groups that we admire and wish to be like.

A) Schematic
B) Reflective
C) Aspirational
D) Associative
E) Dissociative

Question 33

Maureen always knows where products are on sale in the town where she lives.Her friends come to her for advice about a wide range of products to determine where to shop and where there are sales.Maureen is a(n)

A) opinion leader.
B) reference leader.
C) weak tie coordinator.
D) market maven.
E) busybody.

Question 34

____ are examples of marketer-dominated sources delivered personally.

A) Salespeople, service representatives, and customer service agents
B) Word of mouth and consumer complaints
C) Consumer Reports and other magazine test ratings
D) Predissonance schemas and prototypes
E) Advertising and infomercials

Question 35

____ is an example of a nonmarketer-dominated source of persuasive information that is delivered personally.

A) Public relations
B) Word-of-mouth communication
C) A customer service representative
D) Advertising
E) Consumer Reports

Question 36

Word-of-mouth communication has more credibility,but advertising

A) is more casual.
B) is two-way.
C) has more reach.
D) is more believable.
E) is more personal.

Question 37

Kimberley looks to a group of friends,Stephanie,Grace,Shinna,and others,to help determine what she likes and what she should do.This is an example of a

A) reference group.
B) sociological set.
C) consideration set.
D) neural network.
E) consumer network.

Question 38

Thad always used Brand A fabric softener.This fabric softener made his clothes fluffy and bright,so he recommended it to Ned,who was moving nearby.He said that Ned should always use one cup of Brand A with every laundry load and that the box was recyclable.In this example,Thad was a social influence for all of the following decisions except

A) acquisition of brand.
B) how much to use.
C) disposal.
D) when to buy.
E) how much to buy.

Question 39

An individual who acts as an information broker between the mass media and the opinions and behaviors of an individual or group is known as a(n)

A) media broker.
B) market follower.
C) information bridge.
D) opinion leader.
E) influencer.

Question 40

Gatekeepers are those who

A) control the flow of information.
B) are ombudspersons to whom customers can complain.
C) are critics.
D) have weak ties and thus serve as a bridge between groups.
E) are informers for other social groups.

Question 41

Marc is a member of his university's football team.As such,he must adhere to strict rules of membership including attending all team practices and earning a passing grade in all his classes.Due to this structured membership,the team is a ____ reference group.

A) dense
B) formal
C) homophilic
D) secondary
E) weak-tied

Question 42

When members perceive a group as ____,they have stronger intentions to conform.

A) heterogeneous
B) homogenous
C) homophilous
D) very attractive
E) not at all dense

Question 43

Associative reference groups are groups that

A) have expertise that we need.
B) reflect exciting and emotionally fulfilling but unrealistic expectations.
C) we admire and wish to be like.
D) we do not wish to emulate.
E) we belong to.

Question 44

After graduation,Ted joined the army.Bracing for a haircut and awakening before 10:00 a.m.for the first time in his life,Ted was feeling the influence of a(n)____ reference group.

A) schematic
B) reflective
C) aspirational
D) dissociative
E) associative

Question 45

A local hiking group is mostly composed of local college students who are middle class and also have similar political views.This is an example of a group high in

A) formality.
B) homophily.
C) degree of contact.
D) distance.
E) dimensionality.

Question 46

Groups that are high in formality are those which

A) are highly structured.
B) are very serious.
C) have a long history.
D) keep their members at a distance.
E) do the same program each time they meet.

Question 47

If marketers know their target consumers' aspirational reference groups,they can

A) associate their product with that group.
B) advertise to the dissociative reference group.
C) distribute their products more widely.
D) lower the price of the products when establishing a brand image.
E) use coupons for price discrimination.

Question 48

A group of friends from different backgrounds and interests that gets together every weekend for group activities and to eat together could be considered a reference group that has high

A) homophily.
B) homogeneity.
C) formality.
D) distance.
E) density.

Question 49

Ying is a member of several online computer gaming communities.For her,these online communities serve as ____ reference groups.

A) dissociative
B) aspirational
C) referential
D) tertiary
E) secondary

Question 50

In order to advertise to consumers in a certain reference group,the best strategy is for marketers to

A) know the need for cognition in the population as a whole.
B) accurately reflect the clothing, hair styles, accessories, and general demeanor of the group members.
C) have a detailed knowledge of the physiological reactions of the group members.
D) have a detailed knowledge of the legal system as it relates to disposal in the region of the country in which the reference group is located.
E) know the average in-store shopping speed of a member of the group.

Question 51

Amazon.com creates a(n)____ by inviting consumers to post their own reviews of the books,music,and other products it sells.

A) ad group
B) marketer reference group
C) brand community
D) brand extension
E) advertising reference group

Question 52

Even though one may be an Asian or Hispanic,one need not necessarily regard these individuals as part of their reference group.This is an example of low

A) identification.
B) tie-strength.
C) formality.
D) density.
E) homogeneity.

Question 53

Michael's family,friends and teachers are an example of his ____ reference group.

A) dissociative
B) aspirational
C) referential
D) primary
E) secondary

Question 54

Political divisions are a good example of when one side is a(n)____ reference group for those on the other side.

A) schematic
B) reflective
C) aspirational
D) dissociative
E) associative

Question 55

A(n)____ is a specialized group of consumers with a structured set of social relationships centered around a particular brand.

A) ad group
B) marketer reference group
C) brand community
D) brand extension
E) advertising reference group

Question 56

A business school has set up a gateway course that attempts to build close,intimate relationships between the students on the premise that this will increase graduation rates.They are attempting to increase what is known as the ____ of the student cohort.

A) secondary ties
B) tie-strength
C) relevance
D) intimacy
E) homogeneity

Question 57

Whitney is a teenager who loves the program Hannah Montana.She wants to be just like the star of the show,Miley Cyrus,and looks to Miley for information on how to dress and behave.For Whitney,Miley Cyrus is a(n)

A) market maven.
B) aspirational reference group.
C) associative reference group.
D) brand community.
E) dissociative reference group.

Question 58

With rising prosperity in Japan starting in the late 1960s,many of the middleclass emulated the American middle-class lifestyle in order to be like their American counterparts.This is an example of the influence of a(n)____ reference group.

A) schematic
B) reflective
C) aspirational
D) dissociative
E) associative

Question 59

All of the following characteristics of reference groups would allow for quick dissemination of information except

A) high density.
B) high tie-strength.
C) low homophily.
D) high identification.
E) frequent contact.

Question 60

When groups are homophilous,reference group influence

A) varies since the group is quite heterogeneous.
B) is quite weak.
C) is quite strong.
D) only acts through the leadership.
E) will only become strong through indirect contact.

Question 61

Consumer and government groups have been vocal opponents of violence and sex in television,arguing that such programming has negative socializing effects on young people.This is an example of how consumer goods can

A) have a positive effect on consumer socialization.
B) encourage excess consumption.
C) have a negative effect on consumer socialization.
D) encourage the saving of money.
E) increase attention to advertising.

Question 62

Normative influence is

A) social pressure encouraging conformity to others' expectations.
B) information from social groups.
C) internal pressure to conform to an ideal group.
D) internal pressure to conform to a dissociative group.
E) advertising that changes opinion leaders' opinions.

Question 63

Weak ties

A) are very difficult for marketers to target because they are not distinctly marked.
B) can provide an opportunity for marketers to strengthen them.
C) are those ties that do not function well and need support from advertising.
D) are better at targeting secondary reference groups.
E) serve as a gate-keeping function by transporting information from one group to another.

Question 64

With the ____ technique,the consumer is first asked to comply with a very large and possibly outrageous request,followed by a smaller and more reasonable request.

A) even-a-penny-will-help
B) door-in-the-face
C) foot-in-the-door
D) head-out-the-window
E) foot-in-the-mud

Question 65

Stephanie learned the brands she should buy and products that were important first from her parents and then from her peers.This is best thought of as an example of

A) consumption acquisition.
B) operant learning.
C) classical learning.
D) consumer socialization.
E) purchase habituation.

Question 66

The impact of reference groups as socializing agents

A) is static.
B) can change over time.
C) usually has a U-shaped curve of impact in an individual's life.
D) usually has an inverted U-shaped curve of impact in an individual's life.
E) cannot change once it has been established.

Question 67

Although Clay rarely drinks,he will have a beer when at a party or out with friends so he will not be the only one not drinking.This is an example of Clay ____ to the group's behavior.

A) complying
B) reacting
C) conforming
D) rebelling
E) copying

Question 68

____ is doing what the group or social influence asks.

A) Reformation
B) Compliance
C) Congruity
D) Reactance
E) Norming

Question 69

For older children,____ is (are)the most effective method for parents to instill values.

A) direct teaching
B) punishment
C) extrinsic rewards
D) neighborhood watches
E) observational learning

Question 70

Normative influence affects ____,which is the likelihood that consumers will buy what others in their group buy.

A) brand-choice congruence
B) consumer socialization
C) product choice probability
D) product category probability
E) consumer compliance

Question 71

When a salesperson puts too much pressure on someone to buy,the consumer may react by rejecting everything that is for sale or even by buying from another salesperson.This is known as

A) compliance.
B) congruity.
C) reactance.
D) conformity.
E) socialization.

Question 72

One study of Canadian children found that roughly 25 percent of the requests made to Santa Claus were for things they had seen on TV.This is best thought of as an example of

A) reference group influence on children.
B) peer group influence on consumers.
C) homophilous group influence on children.
D) media influence on children.
E) the impact of TV violence.

Question 73

Reference groups are most likely to influence whether we buy a ____ good.

A) durable
B) symbolic
C) necessity
D) luxury
E) privately consumed

Question 74

____ is the process by which individuals acquire the skills,knowledge,values,and attitudes that are relevant for functioning in a given domain.

A) Hyperbolization
B) Referencing
C) Socialization
D) Aspiring
E) Functioning

Question 75

The extent to which a group has the capacity to deliver rewards and sanctions,also known as ____,can influence the degree of normative influence.

A) coercive power
B) referential power
C) social influence
D) expertise
E) sanctimonious influence

Question 76

Markets in which social relationships among buyers and sellers change the way the market operates are known as ____ markets.

A) exchange
B) embedded
C) discrete
D) relationship
E) social

Question 77

All of the following are examples of ways in which parents influence the purchasing habits of children except

A) letting children shop in malls on the weekend with their peers.
B) directly teaching their children how important it is to save money.
C) directly teaching their children how important it is to spend now.
D) letting their children observe them shop.
E) rewarding children when they are thrifty.

Question 78

Organizations like Equinox,Amway,and Tupperware target individual customers as selling agents and rely on their interpersonal networks for direct-selling efforts.This is best thought of as an example of marketers using weak ties to

A) identify new networks.
B) build up advertising.
C) create new secondary reference groups.
D) build up distribution with large companies.
E) sell within secondary reference groups.

Question 79

In Weight Watchers,consumers who adhere to the norms by losing weight are rewarded by group praise.This is an example of a marketer

A) using coercive power through associative groups.
B) using coercive power through aspirational groups.
C) utilizing the reactance effect.
D) reacting against homophily.
E) creating norms for group behavior.

Question 80

A variant of Verizon's IN calling program gave customers discounts when they identified the names and telephone numbers of up to 20 people whom they frequently called.This is an example of

A) targeting individuals with similar tastes.
B) customizing the appeal for each individual.
C) customizing the appeal for region of the country.
D) targeting networks of individuals.
E) targeting individuals with similar telephone usage habits.