Unit 4: Module 19, Persuasion: So Easily Fooled

Which of the following is NOT part of the proposed Triad of Trustworthiness?

Attractiveness

What is compared to a "recording" that always happens in the same way every time?

Fixed action patterns

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts that enable people to make decisions and solve problems quickly and efficiently.

The rule of scarcity

People tend to perceive things as more attractive when their availability is limited, or when they stand to lose the opportunity to acquire them on favorable terms.

Which processing route relies on heuristics?

Peripheral

___________ relies on psychological techniques; whereas, ______________ emphasizes communicating objective information.

Peripheral route processing; central route processing

What is the process by which a message induces change in beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors?

Persuasion

Central route to persuasion

Persuasion that employs direct, relevant, logical messages.

Peripheral route to persuasion

Persuasion that relies on superficial cues that have little to do with logic.

Physically attractive people experience many benefits in life. Particularly, more physically attractive people have an easier time persuading others. Which characteristic is an example of why this occurs?

Physically attractive people are perceived as having higher moral character.

Fixed action patterns (FAPs)

Sequences of behavior that occur in exactly the same fashion, in exactly the same order, every time they are elicited.

Which technique of persuasion uses a satisfied customer expressing how a particular product "changed their life!"?

Testimonials

Social proof

The mental shortcut based on the assumption that, if everyone is doing it, it must be right.

The norm of reciprocity

The normative pressure to repay, in equitable value, what another person has given to us.

Why do some salespeople try to start a new interaction by asking for something small from a potential customer? (e.g., "Just answer one quick question")

They know getting small acts of cooperation may lead to larger actions in the same direction.

What is the most effective way to protect from being persuaded?

To accept just how vulnerable we are

The triad of trust

We are most vulnerable to persuasion when the source is perceived as an authority, as honest and likable.

Listening to your friend's advice for the best place to get ice cream over an ad that states the same place as the best ice cream shop in town is based on what technique?

Word of mouth

Which of the following is an example of manipulating the trustworthiness of a speaker?

have the speaker present his/her message as educational or objective information

When a bartender offers you a free taste, you feel obligated to purchase the drink. This is an example of:

reciprocity

Ben is playing basketball with his friends one day when he notices everyone else has name brand shoes. He is uncertain how the quality of his shoes compares to his friends but because of __________ he feels pressure to conform and ends up buying name brand shoes for himself by the following week.

social proof

Gradually escalating commitments

A pattern of small, progressively escalating demands is less likely to be rejected than a single large demand made all at once.

Psychological reactance

A reaction to people, rules, requirements, or offerings that are perceived to limit freedoms.

Foot in the door

Obtaining a small, initial commitment.

Trigger features

Specific, sometimes minute, aspects of a situation that activate fixed action patterns.

What are the three characteristics of a speaker that makes him/her more trustworthy when delivering a persuasive message?

authority, honesty, likability

Oscar would like to go to a movie without supervision. To try and get what he wants, he starts by asking his mom if he can go on a trip to the Rollercoaster Park with just his friends. When his mom says no, like he predicted, he goes on to ask if he can at least go to the movies by himself. Oscar's strategy in asking to go to the movies is an example of what persuasion trick?

door in the face

Elsa purchased concert tickets about two months ago. Today is the concert but it's raining out, meaning Elsa would have to purchase an umbrella and rain boots if she still wants to go. Why is Elsa still likely to be persuaded to attend the concert?

sunk costs

The reason that a "foot-in-the-door" sales pitch technique works is that it

takes advantage of your need to be consistent.