Deck 7: The Power of Persuasion

Question 1

When tennis star Roger Federer appears in commercials for Gillete Razor Blades, he is considered:

A) the model.
B) the source.
C) the endorser.
D) the spokesperson.

Answer 1

the source.

Question 2

One counterintuitive finding in the study of persuasion suggests that:

A) when processing through the central route we may be persuaded by strong arguments.
B) ability and motivation are needed for central route processing.
C) when processing through the peripheral route we may be persuaded by the attractiveness of the source.
D) when processing through the peripheral route we may be persuaded by weak arguments if the message is presented in an attractive manner.

Answer 2

when processing through the peripheral route we may be persuaded by weak arguments if the message is presented in an attractive manner.

Question 3

How can an advertiser increase the persuasiveness of a message?

A) Use a source that shares similarities to the target audience
B) Use an attractive source
C) Use a source that is perceived to have credibility
D) Use a source that shares similarities to the target audience, use an attractive source, and use a source that is perceived to have credibility

Answer 3

Use a source that shares similarities to the target audience, use an attractive source, and use a source that is perceived to have credibility

Question 4

An attempt to provoke fear in the audience in order to persuade them not to do something is known as a__________.

A) political persuasion
B) reactionary message
C) fear-based appeal
D) valence-based appeal

Question 5

Which of the following statements about fear-based appeals is FALSE?

A) Fear-based appeals attempt to provoke fear in order to change the behaviour of the audience.
B) The effectiveness of fear-based appeals varies.
C) Fear-based appeals seem to be most effective when they attempt to prevent a negative outcome.
D) Fear-based appeals seem to be most effective when they attempt to promote a positive outcome.

Question 6

Researchers gave participants one of three messages, each differing in the level of fear, about the dangers of not practicing oral hygiene. The message that resulted in the most improvement of oral hygiene had a(n) ________ level of fear.

A) absent
B) mild
C) very high
D) extreme

Question 7

Two key factors identified as important for central route processing are:

A) unbiased thinking and intelligence.
B) intelligence and motivation.
C) ability and motivation.
D) ability and intelligence.

Question 8

Compared with an attitude formed through the peripheral route, an attitude formed through the central route will:

A) be more likely to produce a negative outcome.
B) remain more resistant to persuasion.
C) exert no impact on cognition and behaviour.
D) be influenced only by external cues.

Question 9

The ____________ is a model which proposes that there are two routes, central and peripheral, that an individual may take when processing a message.

A) Elaboration Likelihood Model
B) Route Model of Communication
C) Hovland Model of Communication
D) Heuristics Model of Communication

Question 10

Chris is buying a last minute gift for his father's birthday and he doesn't have much time pick it out. He decides to purchase a digital camera because it has a big sign next to it that says "Sale." Chris probably arrived at his decision through:

A) peripheral route processing.
B) central route processing.
C) controlled thinking.
D) reasoned action.

Question 11

Dawn is persuaded by her roommate to cut her hair short even though her mom has been trying to persuade her to get it cut short for years. Dawn may have been more easily persuaded by her roommate because:

A) her mother is not very smart.
B) her mother did not present a strong argument.
C) her roommate has more perceived similarities.
D) she is processing information through the central route.

Question 12

What type of model proposes that persuasion occurs through two routes?

A) A Yale model
B) A heuristic model
C) A dual process model
D) A two-part persuasion model

Question 13

__________ is the way people communicate in order to influence other people's attitudes and behaviours.

A) Persuasion
B) Social perception
C) Social psychology
D) Social interaction

Question 14

Changing the likeability, attractiveness, and credibility of the source are all methods that involve:

A) the peripheral route to persuasion.
B) the central route to persuasion.
C) the sleeper effect.
D) deception.

Question 15

The sleeper effect is less likely to occur if:

A) a person is informed of the source beforehand.
B) the source is not attractive to the consumer.
C) the product is straightforward.
D) the intelligence of the consumer is low.

Question 16

Valence refers to the:

A) credibility of the source.
B) degree of attraction or aversion that a person feels towards a specific object, event, or idea.
C) way in which a message is constructed.
D) way in which a message is tailored to a specific audience.

Question 17

Attractiveness of the source becomes less important when:

A) the consumer values the credibility of the source.
B) the consumer does not have motivation.
C) when the source is the same gender as the consumer.
D) when the source is younger than the consumer.

Question 18

Jane is persuaded to buy a new type of iPod because someone at school that she admires and likes just bought one. Jane is being persuaded through:

A) the peripheral route.
B) the central route.
C) controlled processing.
D) deception.

Question 19

According to Hovland and colleagues, a measure will be accepted based on which three factors?

A) Communicator, cogency, and audience
B) Persuasiveness, content, and audience
C) Communicator, content, and audience
D) Persuasiveness, cogency, and salience

Question 20

Which of the following is true regarding research on persuasion?

A) We are more likely to consider the arguments of strangers than those of peers
B) The sleeper effect refers to decreased persuasion from credible sources over time
C) We are more likely to vote for political candidates of the same-sex than of the opposite-sex
D) Incidental similarities always increase persuasion, regardless of situational factors

Question 21

What type of persuasive message will be more effective for women compared to men?

A) A message delivered via email
B) A message delivered via mail
C) A message delivered face to face
D) A message with weak arguments

Question 22

If Doug is passionate about his views on the issue of abortion, which of the following is a true statement?

A) He will be resistant to counter-attitudinal messages.
B) He will be receptive to counter-attitudinal messages.
C) He will be persuaded by the attractiveness of the source.
D) He will process new information about this issue through the peripheral route.

Question 23

You have designed a persuasive message to convince people to donate money to a charity for children's cancer. The message is designed to stir up thoughts of love and caring. Based on research presented in your textbook, this message will be more persuasive for:

A) older adults.
B) teenagers.
C) younger adults.
D) young men.

Question 24

Which statement about individuals with a high need for cognition is FALSE?

A) They enjoy thinking abstractly.
B) They are likely to be persuaded by messages that can withstand scrutiny.
C) They are more likely to default to central route processing.
D) They tend to avoid situations in which they need to think abstractly.

Question 25

In order to improve a campaign advertisement so that it is more appealing to someone with low need for cognition, you could:

A) make the advertisement longer.
B) make the advertisement more intellectually stimulating.
C) use a more attractive source.
D) elaborate on all of the complex issues involved in the campaign.

Question 26

______________ is the degree to which the economic or social outcome promoted in the message is important to the receiver.

A) The sleeper effect
B) Outcome-relevant involvement
C) Incentive
D) Socio-economic status

Question 27

When outcome relevance is _______, people are more likely to ___________.

A) low; engage in central route processing
B) low; engage in peripheral route processing
C) high; engage in peripheral route processing
D) high; use heuristics

Question 28

A fear-based appeal would be most UNSUCCESSFUL when:

A) people are so afraid of the message that they feel too hopeless to act.
B) the appeal puts the audience on the defensive.
C) they attempt to prevent a negative outcome.
D) either people are so afraid of the message that they feel too hopeless to act or when the appeal puts the audience on the defensive.

Question 29

When you form an opinion on an issue you care deeply about, you are MORE likely to:

A) process information through the central route.
B) process information through the peripheral route.
C) be persuaded by the attractiveness of the source.
D) be persuaded by the attractiveness of the source and process information through the peripheral route.

Question 30

Compared to university-aged adults, middle-aged adults:

A) are more susceptible to attitude change.
B) are less susceptible to attitude change.
C) exhibit the same amount of susceptibility to attitude change.
D) are less likely to buy products advertised on television.

Question 31

A message promoting a new tax credit for first time home buyers is more likely to affect people who are thinking about buying their first home because:

A) they have higher outcome-relevant involvement.
B) they have significantly lower outcome-relevant involvement.
C) they have slightly lower outcome-relevant involvement.
D) they have lower outcome-relevant involvement and therefore are more likely to process information through the central route.

Question 32

Sally is running for governor and is producing a campaign advertisement defending her stance on immigration reform. Research shows that the MOST effective advertisement she could make would:

A) outline her plans for immigration reform without mentioning her opponent's plan.
B) be shorter and vaguer than her opponent's.
C) present both her and her opponent's views, and refute her opponent's position.
D) focus just on slandering her opponent.

Question 33

A fear-based appeal might be MOST successful under which of the following conditions?

A) When the message contains information on how to avoid the problem or implement a solution
B) When the message makes people extremely frightened
C) When the messages is boring and straightforward
D) When the message is not too specific

Question 34

Research shows that longer messages are sometimes more effective. However, the length of the message should matter less when:

A) the information is processed via the central route.
B) the information is processed via the peripheral route.
C) the message has a positive valence.
D) the consumer has a short attention span.

Question 35

You want to persuade your friend to stop binge drinking. In order to increase the persuasiveness of your argument, you should present information on the health risks of binge drinking to her when she is:

A) in a bad mood.
B) in a good mood.
C) distracted.
D) preoccupied.

Question 36

Joe is gearing up to deliver a campaign speech to a group of individuals who he believes have a high need for cognition. Prior to delivering his speech, Joe should focus his efforts on which of the following?

A) Developing a strong argument for his views
B) Preparing a very long speech
C) Dressing very attractively
D) Preparing a very short speech

Question 37

When choosing a partner, high self-monitors are more likely to choose _________; whereas, low self monitors are more likely to choose ____________.

A) an attractive partner with a negative personality; an unattractive partner with a positive personality
B) an attractive partner with a positive personality; an unattractive partner with a negative personality
C) an unattractive partner with a negative personality; an attractive partner with a positive personality
D) an unattractive partner with a positive personality; an attractive partner with a negative personality

Question 38

A public service advertisement intended to promote healthy habits which features young people having fun while eating healthy snacks and exercising has:

A) a positive valence.
B) a negative valence.
C) no valence.
D) reactance.

Question 39

An individual who is _________ will be most likely to change their behaviours to the demands of a particular situation.

A) high in self-monitoring
B) low in self-monitoring
C) low in self-consciousness
D) low in self-awareness

Question 40

Individuals with low need for cognition are more likely to be persuaded by ___________, rather than by____________.

A) the quality of the message; peripheral route cues
B) peripheral route cues; the quality of the message
C) the gender of the source; peripheral route cues
D) the credibility of the source; peripheral route cues

Question 41

When would be the best time to ask your parents for money?

A) When they are in a good mood
B) When they are in a bad mood
C) Their answer will be the same no matter what mood they are in
D) When they are processing information through the central route

Question 42

__________theory argues that when individuals feel threatened, they instinctively want to restore their freedom.

A) Conflict
B) Opposition
C) Reactance
D) Resistance

Question 43

_________ is the process of being informed ahead of time that a favoured attitude will be challenged.

A) The sleeper effect
B) Forewarning
C) Intuition
D) The chameleon effect

Question 44

A political candidate sends a signed picture to everyone in her district, along with a letter soliciting campaign donations. This candidate is employing the ____________ tactic.

A) reciprocation
B) social proof
C) sleeper effect
D) scarcity

Question 45

You are in a bookstore and an individual walks up to you and says, "The store is closing early, you will have to leave." You would be more likely to obey this request if:

A) the individual is older.
B) the individual is very young.
C) the individuals is wearing a nametag that says "Manager."
D) the individual is dressed in plain clothes.

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT one of Cialdini's "weapons of influence"?

A) Liking
B) Social proof
C) Classification
D) Commitment and consistency

Question 47

You are up late one evening watching an infomercial which is advertising a new 'miracle' cleaning product. If you call tonight you can get extra bottles of the product at a cheaper price, but the deal supposedly only lasts for the next 20 minutes. Which strategy is being employed to persuade you to buy the cleaning product?

A) The liking "weapon" of influence
B) The authority "weapon" of influence
C) The commitment and consistency "weapon" of influence
D) The scarcity "weapon" of influence

Question 48

Distraction can sometimes enhance the effectiveness of a message because it does which of the following?

A) It encourages central route processing.
B) It helps the receiver focus on the message.
C) It prevents the receiver from developing counterarguments.
D) It increases outcome-relevant involvement.

Question 49

Suppose you are trying to persuade people to volunteer their time to help build houses this coming Saturday. Based on the commitment and consistency principle, which of the following represents the most effective strategy?

A) Leave a voicemail message describing the volunteer opportunity
B) Ask people to write their name on the volunteer sign-up sheet
C) Send people an email describing the volunteer opportunity
D) Send people a letter and email describing the volunteer opportunity

Question 50

Why do researchers believe that the reciprocation norm operates on the need to restore balance and not necessarily because of our selfish desire to receive recognition for our acts?

A) Because research supports the idea that we do not like to receive recognition for our acts of kindness
B) Because people only seem to reciprocate when the other individual is aware of the favour
C) Because research supports the idea that humans are not selfish
D) Because people seem to reciprocate even when the other individual will not know they returned the favour

Question 51

If voters who initially favour a particular political candidate are told that another candidate is ahead in the polls, they may change their voting behaviour. This is an example of the ________ tactic of persuasion.

A) social proof
B) authority
C) inoculation
D) reactance

Question 52

Why should advertisers be careful about the physical cues they use in messages?

A) Because physical cues only impact audiences prone to central route processing
B) Because physical cues can vary in meaning for different audiences
C) Because physical cues never impact persuasion
D) Because physical cues are always offensive

Question 53

In the absence of an obvious punishment for disobeying a command, research has shown that people will:

A) not feel the need to obey the authority figure.
B) obey the authority figure anyway.
C) argue with the authority figure.
D) disregard and ignore the authority figure.

Question 54

Why does forewarning seem to reduce the effect of a counter-attitudinal persuasive message?

A) Because it increases the use of heuristics
B) Because it automatically decreases the likability of the source
C) Because it automatically decreases the credibility of the source
D) Because it allows people to prepare to resist the message

Question 55

You decide to buy skinny jeans because you notice that other people are wearing skinny jeans. This is called ________.

A) reactance
B) the like-others effect
C) inoculation
D) the bandwagon effect

Question 56

If you are using the commitment and consistency weapon of influence to solicit donations for an environmental group, an effective question to pose prior to asking for money would be:

A) Do you have any money?
B) What's your name?
C) Do you have ten minutes to talk?
D) Do you want to help save the environment?

Question 57

Persuasion in Western culture may be easier than in some other cultures because:

A) Western culture emphasizes a broad sense of self.
B) Western culture emphasizes collective attitudes and beliefs.
C) Western audiences always use peripheral route processing.
D) Western culture emphasizes the attitudes and beliefs of the individual.

Question 58

A group of individuals who support anti-smoking laws are about to listen to a counter-attitudinal message on the issue. Which of the following would reduce the chance that the group would be persuaded by the message?

A) Forewarning the group
B) Using a credible source
C) Getting people to nod their head in an up and down motion
D) Having a message with strong arguments

Question 59

Why are people easier to persuade when they are in a good mood versus a bad mood?

A) Due to the social proof effect
B) Due to the increased cognitive processing associated with good moods
C) Because of the inoculation effect
D) Because people want to stay in a good mood

Question 60

Dan is watching television and is highly motivated to process a message delivered by a political candidate. However, he is distracted by loud noises outside his house. In this circumstance, Dan is likely to process the candidate's message:

A) through the central route.
B) through the peripheral route.
C) through controlled processing.
D) by carefully considering the quality of the arguments.

Question 61

Even though Bob cares deeply about the issue of drunk driving, he will process a message about the subject through the peripheral route if he is in a hurry.

Question 62

Exposing people to weak attacks on their favoured position so that they will form stronger resistance to subsequent attacks is a technique known as:

A) inoculation.
B) forewarning.
C) the sleeper effect.
D) psychological reactance.

Question 63

When people were uncertain whether they would test positive or negative on an HIV test, they were more persuaded to get tested when ________ was used than when ________ was used.

A) gain framing; loss framing
B) goal framing; loss framing
C) gain framing; cost framing
D) loss framing; grain framing

Question 64

The Elaboration Likelihood Model proposes that there are two different routes, central and peripheral, that an individual may take when processing information.

Question 65

For a fear-based appeal to be most effective, it should be as scary as possible.

Question 66

If Sally has formed an attitude towards smoking through the central route, her attitude will be more resistant to your subsequent persuasion attempts.

Question 67

One way to increase the likelihood of central route processing would be to increase the personal relevance of an issue to an audience.

Question 68

Persuasion is always something to be resisted.

Question 69

What is the sleeper effect? When is this effect less likely to occur?

Question 70

Children are more likely to use peripheral than central processing.

Question 71

Describe how attitudes formed through the central route differ from attitudes formed through the peripheral route.

Question 72

The concept of psychological reactance would suggest that parents who want to prevent drug use among their children should probably avoid which of the following strategies?

A) Modelling appropriate behaviour for their children
B) Exposing children to similar others who live a drug-free life
C) Developing quality arguments against the use of drugs
D) Forbidding children to use drugs under any circumstances

Question 73

Men are more persuaded by face to face persuasive attempts compared with impersonal strategies (e.g., email advertising).

Question 74

According to your textbook, __________ are less capable of employing resistance tactics like inoculation.

A) middle-aged adults
B) young adults
C) women
D) children

Question 75

When a topic is unfamiliar to both men and women, women are more easily persuaded than men.

Question 76

Complex and convoluted arguments lead to greater central processing.

Question 77

________ benefit from loss framing, while ________ become more likely with gain framing.

A) Rare behaviours; frequent behaviours
B) Low-risk behaviours; risky behaviours
C) Frequent behaviours; rare behaviours
D) Risky behaviours; low-risk behaviours

Question 78

Including instructions on how to overcome 'the problem' described in a fear-based appeal will enhance its effectiveness.

Question 79

The effectiveness of persuasive tactics may differ between individualist and collectivist cultures.

Question 80

Central route processing is more likely to occur when we have the ability and motivation to process information.