Question 1

To what extent can subliminal messages influence people's attitudes and behavior? Describe two studies that address this question.

Accepted Answer

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Question 2

Based on the research on audience characteristics,which of the following scenarios best illustrates how Tommy's mood is likely to impact his response to persuasive attempts?

Accepted Answer

A)  When Tommy feels sad, he is more likely to attend to pessimistic messages than to optimistic messages. 
B)  When Tommy feels sad, he is more likely to attend to optimistic messages than to pessimistic messages. 
C)  When Tommy feels sad, he is less likely to be persuaded. 
D)  When Tommy feels sad, he is more likely to be persuaded.

Question 3

Robert was a successful dentist for over a decade before deciding that he would be happier as a salesman.He has started a position at a new company that sells high-tech alarm clocks and high-tech toothbrushes.Of these two products,Robert is likely to be more successful selling ________,because he is likely to be a(n)________ when delivering persuasive appeals for that product.

Accepted Answer

A)  toothbrushes; attractive source 
B)  toothbrushes; trustworthy source 
C)  alarm clocks; confident source 
D)  alarm clocks; credible source

Question 4

Stacie listens to a radio commercial for toothpaste.She finds the soothing voice of the announcer appealing,so she buys the toothpaste he advocates.This illustrates the research finding that when people primarily attend to aspects of a message that are tangential to the substance of the message,they are taking the ________ route to persuasion.

Accepted Answer

A)  central 
B)  distinct 
C)  peripheral 
D)  indirect

Question 5

Petty and colleagues (1981)asked students to read either eight weak arguments or eight strong arguments in support of implementing a comprehensive exam at their university.Some students were told that the exam would be initiated the following year,and others were told it would be initiated in ten years,well after their graduation.Finally,the researchers varied the expertise of the source of the arguments; that is,participants were told the arguments were generated either by a local high school class or by a prestigious "Commission on Higher Education." The researchers measured students' attitudes toward the exam.What was the main result of this study?

Accepted Answer

A)  When students believed the exam would be implemented in ten years, the expertise of the source influenced their attitudes but the quality of the arguments did not. 
B)  When students believed the exam would be implemented the following year, the expertise of the source influenced their attitudes but the quality of the arguments did not. 
C)  When students believed the exam would be implemented in ten years, the quality of the arguments influenced their attitudes but the expertise of the source did not. 
D)  When students believed the exam would be implemented the following year, both the expertise of the source and the quality of the arguments influenced their attitudes equally.

Question 6

Define metacognition and describe how it influences persuasion.

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Question 7

Jamie is the sort of person who likes to think,puzzle,ponder,and consider multiple perspectives.Compared with people who do not like these activities,Jamie is

Accepted Answer

A)  more likely to be influenced by the tangential aspects of a persuasive communication. 
B)  equally likely to be influenced by peripheral aspects of a persuasive communication. 
C)  less likely to be influenced by peripheral aspects of a persuasive communication. 
D)  less likely to be influenced by the quality of the arguments used in a persuasive communication.

Question 8

Research on the hostile media phenomenon has shown that

Accepted Answer

A)  politicians are more likely than other people to perceive the media as biased against them. 
B)  we all tend to believe that the media are biased against our particular causes. 
C)  we remember negative news stories better than positive news stories. 
D)  the media are biased against politicians.

Question 9

The self-validation hypothesis states that

Accepted Answer

A)  feeling confident about one's thoughts serves as a form of validation. 
B)  when a person's self-esteem is validated, he or she is more easily persuaded. 
C)  when a person's self-esteem is validated, he or she is less easily persuaded. 
D)  constructively questioning one's thoughts serves as a form of validation.

Question 10

All of the following people are likely to resist persuasive attempts to adopt a different brand of soap EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  Tanya, who loves the way her soap smells. 
B)  Jack, who does not have a vested interest in any particular brand of soap. 
C)  Kelly, who has previously made public commitments to her favorite brand of soap. 
D)  Rafael, who is knowledgeable on the subject of soap.

Question 11

Wendy Wood (1982)found that participants in favor of environmental preservation who ________ shifted their attitudes considerably when exposed to an anti-preservation message.

Accepted Answer

A)  knew less about the subject 
B)  knew more about the subject 
C)  believed preservation is very important 
D)  were confident in their attitudes

Question 12

According to the textbook,which route to persuasion is most likely to lead to long-lasting attitude change?

Accepted Answer

A)  peripheral 
B)  surface 
C)  direct 
D)  central

Question 13

Nancy is gathering information about different cars in order to decide which car she wants to buy.According to the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion,Nancy will be more likely to process this information through the central route if

Accepted Answer

A)  she is cheerful while researching information about cars. 
B)  she does not know much about cars. 
C)  she does not care about cars. 
D)  she is personally motivated to devote time and energy to the information.

Question 14

When people make public statements regarding their attitudes,

Accepted Answer

A)  they are more likely to resist later counterattitudinal messages. 
B)  they are less likely to resist counterattitudinal messages. 
C)  their tendency to resist counterattitudinal messages is unchanged. 
D)  they are unlikely to change the attitudes of others.

Question 15

________ exemplifies a message characteristic,whereas ________ exemplifies a source characteristic.

Accepted Answer

A)  The credibility of a communicator; the attractiveness of a communicator 
B)  A logical argument; the content of a speech 
C)  The content of a speech; the credibility of a communicator 
D)  The attractiveness of a communicator; a logical argument

Question 16

According to Shanto Iyengar's concept of agenda control,the

Accepted Answer

A)  media directly influence people's moment-by-moment behavior. 
B)  media shape what people think about, care about, and believe to be true. 
C)  government controls people's purchasing patterns. 
D)  government manipulates people's social beliefs.

Question 17

Genes have been shown to partially account for

Accepted Answer

A)  political attitudes, but not political participation. 
B)  political participation, but not political attitudes. 
C)  both political attitudes and political participation. 
D)  neither political attitudes nor political participation.

Question 18

Imagine that you need to design an advertising campaign that promotes safe-sex practices among college students.Assume that your audience is not particularly motivated to hear about safe sex.Describe your ad campaign and explain how the various aspects of the campaign reflect the social psychological principles of persuasion.

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Question 19

Jennifer smokes cigarettes.Describe how selective attention and selective evaluation may make Jennifer resistant to anti-smoking messages.

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Question 20

One study found that head nodding led to greater persuasion when arguments were strong but less persuasion when arguments were weak.How did the researchers explain these findings?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nodding should enhance confidence in one's own favorable or unfavorable thoughts. 
B)  Nodding should reduce confidence in one's own favorable or unfavorable thoughts. 
C)  Nodding should enhance confidence in source credibility. 
D)  Nodding should reduce confidence in source credibility.

Exam 8: Persuasion