Question 1

Which of the following best describes segmentation analysis?

Accepted Answer

A)  organizing a message down into discrete units 
B)  separating parts of a message that appeal to central processing from parts that appeal to peripheral processing 
C)  determining whether receivers are more receptive to ethos, logos, or pathos 
D)  tailoring a message to a specific sub-group or niche audience based on their unique characteristics

Question 2

Wendy's neighbors asked her if she could babysit over the weekend. Wendy responded, "Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I'm volunteering at the soup kitchen this weekend." Wendy is engaging in which type of ingratiation?

Accepted Answer

A)  self-presentation 
B)  other enhancement 
C)  opinion conformity 
D)  self-efficacy

Question 3

Which of the following sayings best describes Mere Exposure Theory?

Accepted Answer

A)  Absence makes the heart grow fonder. 
B)  Birds of a feather flock together. 
C)  Familiarity breeds contempt. 
D)  Things tend to grow on us.

Question 4

__________are nonverbal movements with precise verbal meaning.

Accepted Answer

A)  Illustrators 
B)  Emblems 
C)  Adaptors 
D)  Self-touches

Question 5

Which of the following statements regarding order effects is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Stronger arguments should always go last. 
B)  Placing your strongest argument in the middle is the most effective strategy. 
C)  Order is not important when your message is presented through multiple channels. 
D)  Order is important when messages are presented through auditory channels.

Question 6

Which type of motivational appeal is most effective when receivers rely on central processing?

Accepted Answer

A)  fear appeals 
B)  warmth appeals 
C)  sex appeals 
D)  humor

Question 7

The arena in which persuasive attempts enjoy the greatest likelihood of success is

Accepted Answer

A)  print media 
B)  television 
C)  cinema 
D)  interpersonal 
E)  online

Question 8

According to Gass & Seiter, companies use ________________ to enhance their credibility.

Accepted Answer

A)  the sleeper effect 
B)  the halo effect 
C)  factor analysis 
D)  image restoration

Question 9

Brandi lost her little sister Margie's camera while out on a day trip with her friends. Margie is furious. If Margie were to use a guilt appeal in order to persuade her sister to buy her a new camera, which of the following should Margie do?

Accepted Answer

A)  emphasize positive self-feelings that come from doing the right thing 
B)  publicly embarrass Brandi so that she loses face 
C)  use indirect strategies, like hinting, and see if Brandi takes the hint 
D)  threaten Brandi that she will never loan her anything again

Question 10

According to Gass & Seiter, three characteristics associated with ethical influence attempts are

Accepted Answer

A)  ethos, logos, and pathos 
B)  logic, reasoning, and evidence 
C)  respect, equality, and tolerance 
D)  upward, downward, and lateral communication

Question 11

"A marriage partner" is a __________ for the word "spouse." "A lifetime pain in the neck" is a ____________ for the word "spouse."

Accepted Answer

A)  connotative, denotative 
B)  connotative, connotative 
C)  denotative, connotative 
D)  denotative, denotative

Question 12

All of the following are reasons why buzz marketing has become popular except

Accepted Answer

A) it is more expensive than traditional media advertising 
B) it is becoming harder to reach large audiences via traditional media 
C)  TIVO and digital video recorders allow viewers to ignore commercials entirely 
D)  it generates its own free publicity

Question 13

A cultural truism is a belief

Accepted Answer

A)  that cannot be shaken 
B)  whose truth is taken for granted 
C)  that is not accepted by receivers when taken out of context 
D)  that is false but is believed to be true

Question 14

Controversy over whether to call a person an "illegal alien," "illegal immigrant," "person who is here illegally," "undocumented worker," or "undocumented immigrant" best illustrates:

Accepted Answer

A)  powerless language 
B)  powerful language 
C)  Language Expectancy Theory 
D)  the power of labeling

Question 15

Which of the following statements regarding logical and emotional appeals is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  If I agree with your position, I'm more likely to think you are using emotional appeals 
B)  If I disagree with your position, I'm more likely to think you are using emotional appeals 
C)  If I agree with your position, I'm more likely to rely on central processing 
D)  If I disagree with your position, I'm more likely to rely on peripheral processing

Question 16

Which of the following statements best characterizes persuasion, as opposed to propaganda?

Accepted Answer

A)  It operates most effectively in the interpersonal arena 
B)  It is practiced by organized groups and institutions 
C)  It has a strong ideological bent 
D)  It tends to rely on ethically suspect methods of influence

Question 17

When salespeople call a product popular, cool, or in great demand, which tactic of persuasion are they using?

Accepted Answer

A)  scarcity 
B)  social proof 
C)  peer pressure 
D)  group locomotion

Question 18

Babbs called Biff an "inconsiderate and selfish pig" because he was late for a date. Which of the following design logics is Babbs using?

Accepted Answer

A)  conventional 
B)  expressive 
C)  rhetorical 
D)  offensive

Question 19

Lucy, a doctor, is trying to get one of her dangerously obese patients to exercise more. According to Reinforcement Expectancy Theory, which of the following messages would be best for Lucy to use?

Accepted Answer

A)  "If you don't start exercising NOW, I predict you have less than a year to live." 
B)  "You have two choices, exercise or diet, and dieting is no fun at all." 
C)  "Regular exercising will make you healthy and help you feel so good." 
D)  "If death isn't motivation enough to lose weight, I don't know what is."

Question 20

Reference groups are all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A)  groups we identify most with because we admire them and want to be like them. 
B)  groups we reference when we want to know the latest trends. 
C)  groups of people who are unlike us. 
D)  groups who tell us what to think and how to behave.

Exam 1: Why Study Persuasion