Chapter 10: Textbook Questions

Which of the following statements about persuading through shared purpose and shared values are true? (Choose every correct answer.) a. Professionals often respond favorably when someone appeals to their shared purpose and shared values. b. You should not use these types of appeals too often. c. Colleagues are typically turned off by appeals to shared purpose and shared values. d. Credibility is not a key factor when making appeals to shared purpose and shared values.

a. Professionals often respond favorably when someone appeals to their shared purpose and shared values. b. You should not use these types of appeals too often.

Which of the following are among Robert Cialdini's six methods of influence? (multiple answers) a. consistency b. coercion c. authority d. social proof e. social graces

a. consistency c. authority d. social proof

In the past, business communicators most often used ______ to show that their own products were better than those of the competition. a. counterpoints b. solutions c. validation d. actions

a. counterpoints

Because people tend to balk at embracing persuasive messages, one of your most important endeavors is to establish a. credibility. b. an impression of intelligence. c. dominance. d. affability.

a. credibility.

The first task of most persuasive messages is to a. gain attention. b. provide a rationale. c. express appreciation. d. take action.

a. gain attention.

The second stage of the AIM planning process involves a. gathering information. b. gaining intuition. c. developing an ideology. d. building interest.

a. gathering information.

Which of the following phrases that might be spoken to a consumer contain positive wording? (Choose every correct answer.) a. have enough money as long as you live b. manage longevity risk c. maintain your lifestyle d. manage market downturns

a. have enough money as long as you live c. maintain your lifestyle

"Prevention," "treatment," and "survival" are all examples of ______ words and phrases. a. hopeful b. counterproductive c. dour d. constructive

a. hopeful d. constructive

What is a major method of gaining reader attention in internal persuasive messages? a. identifying a business need b. revealing bad news c. identifying a problem employee d. using an unusual font

a. identifying a business need

Which of the following qualities are characteristic of an effective external persuasive message? a. implicit b. concluding with a call to action c. passive voice d. nontangible comments e. indirect

a. implicit b. concluding with a call to action e. indirect

What elements are likely to make employees reject a persuasive message? (Choose every correct answer.) a. lack of validation b. negative wording c. an authoritarian tone d. too much choice

a. lack of validation b. negative wording c. an authoritarian tone

When writing a persuasive message, you can validate the readers by (multiple answers) a. showing respect for them. b. expressing appreciation for their views and preferences. c. pressuring them to accept your ideas. d. recognizing their needs and wants.

a. showing respect for them. b. expressing appreciation for their views and preferences. d. recognizing their needs and wants.

When are people more easily persuaded? (Choose every correct answer.) a. when you demonstrate that you are seeking what benefits them b. when you avoid personalizing your messages c. when you take a personal interest in them d. when you choose to use an I-voice e. when you understand their needs

a. when you demonstrate that you are seeking what benefits them c. when you take a personal interest in them e. when you understand their needs

Which voice may make external messages appear to focus too much on your company instead of the customer? a. you-voice b. we-voice c. impersonal voice d. I-voice

a. you-voice

An effective flyer promoting a financial services firm might contain which of the following elements? a. you-voice b. we-voice c. tangible benefits d. intangible statements

a. you-voice c. tangible benefits

Because his six principles of influence are powerful and can do harm, Cialdini refers to them as a. "persuasive powers." b. "weapons of influence." c. "missiles of business." d. "dangerous tools."

b. "weapons of influence."

To ensure that persuasive messages do not harm others, you should employ the ______. a. AIM test b. FAIR test c. authority test d. consistency test

b. FAIR test

Jenica needs to persuade her colleagues to volunteer to help with a company fund-raiser. Which of the following statements would likely achieve the most positive results? a. It's time for all of you to step up to the plate and show your appreciation to the company. b. I really appreciate all your hard work, and I need your help to make this fund-raiser a success. c. If you help with the fund-raiser I will provide free donuts every week for a year. d. I know that most of you spend too much time watching TV anyway, so I'm sure you can give some time to volunteer for this year's fund-raiser.

b. I really appreciate all your hard work, and I need your help to make this fund-raiser a success.

Which of the following is an example of a logical appeal from a credit union for choosing it over a local bank? a. We donate to more than 100 charities. b. We have more financial options. c. We are a closer part of the community. d. Joining us contributes to an important cause.

b. We have more financial options.

In terms of the voice used, which of the following messages would be the most effective statement for attracting customers to a financial services firm? a. We provide higher interest on checking and savings accounts. b. You pay lower rates on unsecured loans. c. I provide a free retirement and financial planning adviser. d. We charge less in fees.

b. You pay lower rates on unsecured loans.

Which elements are most likely to make a message more persuasive to supervisors? (Choose every correct answer.) a. nontangible comments b. a tangible problem c. a pushy enthusiasm d. a confident tone

b. a tangible problem d. a confident tone

The part of a persuasive message that asks the recipients to make a first move toward purchasing a product or showing agreement with an idea is known as the a. persuasive announcement. b. call to action. c. indirect appeal. d. counterpoint.

b. call to action.

Persuasion involves ______ a person whose opinion or understanding about something is different from yours. a. arguing with b. communicating with c. exploiting d. deceiving

b. communicating with

Customers and clients often think that persuasive messages with very complex language are a. authoritative. b. deceptive. c. reassuring. d. comprehensive.

b. deceptive.

Which type of writing is characterized by statements that provide full and unambiguous meaning? a. indirect writing b. explicit writing c. rhetorical writing d. implicit writing

b. explicit writing

Which of the following are examples of persuasion? (Choose every correct answer.) a. announcing a new product line to the rest of the company b. getting your boss to consider a different perspective c. convincing clients to use your services d. winning over peers to agree with your ideas

b. getting your boss to consider a different perspective c. convincing clients to use your services d. winning over peers to agree with your ideas

Which of the following should you do when trying to persuade colleagues and partners? (multiple answers) a. let them know that there will be consequences if they do not comply b. let them know that you need them c. let them know that their superiors are already on board d. let them know that you appreciate them

b. let them know that you need them d. let them know that you appreciate them

Which of the following types of words help invoke a sense of excitement and optimism in persuasive messages? (Choose every correct answer.) a. sales words such as "provide" and "offer" b. lively words c. action-oriented words d. strong verbs

b. lively words c. action-oriented words d. strong verbs

Typically, internal persuasive messages focus on ______, whereas external persuasive messages include ______. a. logical appeals; intellectual appeals b. logical appeals; emotional appeals c. emotional appeals; logical appeals d. intellectual appeals; logical appeals

b. logical appeals; emotional appeals

Terms such as "most dangerous" and "accidental deaths" are examples of ______ terms. a. effective b. negative c. positive d. persuasive

b. negative

Sales messages risk sounding dull if they rely too heavily on which of the following? (Choose every correct answer.) a. action words b. passive verbs c. motion verbs d. overused words

b. passive verbs d. overused words

Compared to other business messages, ______ are more indirect and implicit. a. public relations messages b. persuasive messages c. bad-news messages d. routine messages

b. persuasive messages

Customers and clients respond most poorly to persuasive messages with which of the following? a. choices b. pressure tactics c. complex language d. simple language

b. pressure tactics c. complex language

A ______ provides compelling reasons why a product, service, or idea will be useful to the audience. a. counterpoint b. rationale c. solution d. manipulation

b. rationale

To make a persuasive message less direct, such as when your audience members will be strongly resistant to your solution, you should explain the ______. a. rationale, but not the solution b. rationale before the solution c. solution, but not the rationale d. solution before the rationale

b. rationale before the solution

Nancy sends out New Year's cards to a number of people she doesn't know, and several of them respond by sending her a New Year's card. This is an example of a. consistency. b. reciprocation. c. scarcity. d. authority.

b. reciprocation.

The principle of influence based on paying others back after receiving a favor is known as a. consistency. b. reciprocation. c. liking. d. recreation.

b. reciprocation.

Michael Maslansky describes the current business culture with the following: "In a word, trust is out, ______ is in." a. celebration b. skepticism c. profit d. greed

b. skepticism

The cohesion among thousands of people who march together for a common cause embodies the principle of a. authority. b. social proof. c. liking. d. consistency.

b. social proof.

Phrases such as "best product on the market" and "state-of-the-art technology" are examples of a. interjections b. superlatives. c. pejoratives. d. active voice.

b. superlatives.

People are more apt to be persuaded by someone they find appealing. This principle of influence is called ______. a. Scarcity b. Social proof c. Liking d. Authority

c. Liking

Persuasion communication strategies that worked well j are not as successful in a. A summer slump b. Well-educated countries c. The post-trust era d. The heat of the moment

c. The post-trust era

What may cause charismatics to make mistakes in decision-making? a. They mistrust data. b. They are too fearful of risk. c. They get swept away by their enthusiasm. d. They want to be totally sure before making a decision.

c. They get swept away by their enthusiasm.

Which voice may make external messages appear to focus too much on your company instead of the customer? a. You-voice b. I-voice c. We-voice d. Impersonal voice

c. We-voice

The AIM planning process for persuasive messages involves analyzing your ______ and creating a ______ that will reduce a person's tendency to resist what you are saying. a. antecedents; management style b. actions; meaning c. audience; message d. accounts; market

c. audience; message

Most readers will respond to persuasive writing that emphasizes ______ instead of ______. a. intent; choice b. intent; emotion c. choice; intent d. savings; intent

c. choice; intent

In business correspondence, you should understand products and ideas in great depth so you can speak with a. imperiousness. b. supplication. c. competency. d. authority.

c. competency. d. authority.

Developing strong ideas that could benefit your audience will make you seem more a. arrogant. b. superficial. c. competent. d. ironic.

c. competent.

When a person writes a persuasive business message, ______ is particularly important. a. educational background b. inquiry c. credibility d. routine

c. credibility

According to Robert Miller, what factor was important to consider when attempting to persuade executives? a. employee validation b. personal relationships c. decision-making styles d. a deferential tone

c. decision-making styles

What qualities in a persuasive message are most likely to elicit a positive response? (Choose every correct answer.) a. me-orientation b. long sentences c. emphasis on choice d. simple language e. you-orientation

c. emphasis on choice d. simple language e. you-orientation

Understanding what other people need and value requires strong ______ skills. a. visual b. intellectual c. listening d. leadership

c. listening

Mass sales messages will typically take which of the following forms? (Choose every correct answer.) a. Multiple select question. b. internal announcements c. online ads d. hand-written closings e. mass emails

c. online ads e. mass emails

Influencing others in a fair, honest way to see the merit of your ideas and act on your requests is called ______. a. pandering b. manipulation c. persuasion d. aggressive solicitation

c. persuasion

If a persuasive message is extremely confident and positive, it is more likely to be perceived as which of the following? (Choose every correct answer.) a. more believable b. exceptional c. pushy d. exaggerated

c. pushy d. exaggerated

The use of a limited-time offer to persuade people to make a purchase is an example of the principle of ______. a. voice b. authority c. scarcity d. liking

c. scarcity

People are easier to persuade when they believe there is a short supply of something they want. This principle of influence is known as a. liking. b. consistency. c. scarcity. d. limitability

c. scarcity.

Which of the following is not one of Robert Cialdini's six methods of influence? a. scarcity b. liking c. social cues d. reciprocation

c. social cues

Sometimes people base their sense of what is right, correct, or desirable on what they see others do. This principle of influence is known as a. consistency. b. socialism. c. social proof. d. reciprocation.

c. social proof.

When trying to persuade others, your most effective approach is the one that meets a. the goals of your supervisors. b. the fulfillment of your own interests. c. the needs of your audience. d. the insights of your intuition.

c. the needs of your audience.

One effective way of personalizing a persuasive message is a. to include reader's phone number in the message. b. to assure the reader that you know what is best for all your clients. c. to make the message tangible to the reader. d. to give the message spiritual context.

c. to make the message tangible to the reader.

Communication specialist Liz Simpson argues that to succeed at persuasion, you must strive to ______ the other person's point of view. a. restructure b. deconstruct c. understand d. undermine

c. understand

Which of the following is an example of a positive emotional appeal for joining a local walkathon to raise funds to fight breast cancer? a. The funds go to a nationally accredited program for treating breast cancer. b. Registration is just $30 per person. c. Breast cancer ranks second among cancer deaths in our country. d. You can help make a difference for women here in our community.

d. You can help make a difference for women here in our community.

When the audience shows emotional resistance to your solution, you might have success with a. an aggressive, authoritarian approach. b. an approach that provides the solution before the rationale for it. c. a direct approach. d. a more indirect approach.

d. a more indirect approach.

Which type of statement requires reading "between the lines" to grasp the entire meaning, since the underlying meaning is not stated? a. a direct statement b. a rationale statement c. an explicit statement d. an implicit statement

d. an implicit statement

The prevalence of celebrity endorsements in advertising indicates that ______ tends to persuade people. a. consistency b. scarcity c. reciprocation d. authority

d. authority

Effective persuaders provide ______ reasons for action. a. rigid and unyielding b. coercive and subtle c. exhaustive and complex d. compelling and simple

d. compelling and simple

A writer's ______ prompts the reader to ______ the message. a. confidence; express concern about b. intellect; admire c. rigidity; believe in d. confidence; gain confidence in

d. confidence; gain confidence in

A study showed that after people bet on race horses, they felt more sure that those horses would win. This is an example of the principle of persuasion known as a. anxiety. b. liking. c. social proof. d. consistency.

d. consistency.

Unlike persuasive messages, most business writing is a. direct and implicit. b. indirect and implicit. c. subtle and implicit. d. direct and explicit.

d. direct and explicit.

By making customers believe that what you are selling is exactly what they want or need, your message will speak ______ to them. a. implicitly b. indirectly c. over d. directly

d. directly

Sam, an employee at a financial services firm, investigates the financial services offered by competing companies and compares them with those of his firm as he prepares a presentation to promote his firm's offerings. This is an example of a. reciprocation. b. emotional appeal. c. consistency. d. idea development.

d. idea development.

A charismatic and well-known community member passionately embraces a cause, inspiring others to join. This is an example of the principle of a. reciprocation. b. scarcity. c. consistency. d. liking.

d. liking.

Which of the following is the least likely to be used in an external persuasive message? a. a need and a solution b. implicit approaches c. a rationale d. logical appeals

d. logical appeals

In addition to being more direct and explicit, internal persuasive messages typically rely on a. emotional appeals. b. negative language. c. dictates of supervisors. d. logical appeals.

d. logical appeals.

Communicators often need to know how to _____ to help people overcome core attachments to embrace new ideas, products, and services. a. give an ambiguous rationale b. provide impartial descriptions c. focus purely on reason d. make emotional appeals

d. make emotional appeals

Exaggeration, sardonic remarks, and over-the-top persuasive messages are most appropriate for a. internal messages. b. internal announcements. c. written messages. d. mass advertising.

d. mass advertising.

A tangible statement tells the reader something in language that is ______ to that person. a. threatening b. profitable c. confusing d. meaningful

d. meaningful

What may be accomplished by presenting an effective persuasive message to superiors? a. pushing through unpopular ideas b. confirming that managers are inflexible c. passing responsibility to higher-ups d. opening constructive dialogue

d. opening constructive dialogue

A call to action should not a. conclude a persuasive message. b. be implicit when corresponding with superiors. c. be a specific step. d. pressure the reader very much

d. pressure the reader very much

People are easier to persuade when they believe there is a short supply of something they want. This principle of influence is known as a. consistency. b. liking. c. limitability d. scarcity.

d. scarcity.

Using counterpoints in persuasive messages is risky primarily because you might a. make yourself feel incompetent. b. expose flaws in your message. c. take too long to explain what you mean. d. seem to have an adversarial tone.

d. seem to have an adversarial tone.

Michael Maslansky's research into persuasion found that ______ is more important than ever. a. the French language b. formal language c. the expressiveness of language d. the language of trust

d. the language of trust

Through ______ you acknowledge that the reader's point of view is legitimate and reasonable. a. directness b. explicitness c. persuasion d. validation

d. validation

True or false: Emotional appeals are typically unhelpful and counterproductive because audiences generally rely on reason to make their decisions.

false

True or false: You should employ superlatives in your persuasive messages to convince your audience of the trustworthiness of your claims.

false

Which of the following are elements of a persuasive message that are included in the body of the message? a. a need b. a solution c. a rationale d. the author's credentials

a. a need b. a solution c. a rationale

What should you include in a message to make it more persuasive to employees? (Choose every correct answer.) a. a positive vision of change b. options for them to choose c. an overall tone of command d. validation of shared concerns

a. a positive vision of change b. options for them to choose d. validation of shared concerns

When people follow the lead of experts or prominent figures, they are conforming to the principle of influence is known as ______. a. authority b. liking c. reciprocation d. consistency

a. authority

What are characteristics of the thinker decision-making style? a. careful analysis b. mistrust of data c. actions based on emotions d. objective point of view

a. careful analysis d. objective point of view

True or false: Sending too many sales letters and mass emails can lower a company's brand value.

True

The "D" in the AIDA approach stands for a. "desire." b. "dire" c. demonstrate." d. "deal."

a. "desire."

Which of the following best explains why it is important to understand your target audience's needs and values? a. It puts you in a stronger position to successfully persuade them to accept your ideas. b. It can be advantageous to know the audience members' weaknesses in case there is disagreement. c. You can use the knowledge to tell the audience what it wants to hear, even if it is not true. d. Joking about the target audience's needs and values is a good way to break the ice.

a. It puts you in a stronger position to successfully persuade them to accept your ideas.

People have become more difficult to persuade because we live in an era of increasing a. Mistrust b. Violence c. Scientific inquiry d. Prosperity

a. Mistrust

If you employ ______ wording in your persuasive message, audiences will tend to notice the benefits instead of the drawbacks of your product. a. Positive b. Superlative c. Negative d. Descriptive

a. Positive

A persuasive message should have a Blank______ tone but avoid Blank______. a. confident and positive; exaggeration and hype b. pushy; the impression of being aggressive c. neutral; sounding disinterested d. passive and accommodating; manipulation

a. confident and positive; exaggeration and hype

The principle of persuasion based on the idea that people typically stay with something once they have committed to it is known as ______. a. consistency b. social proof c. instability d. excitability

a. consistency

Which decision-making style includes the lowest percentage of executives? a. controllers b. charismatics c. followers d. skeptics

a. controllers

Which of the following is typically the most important factor in gaining your colleagues' support when you appeal to shared purpose and shared values? a. Your appearance b. Your individualism c. Your credibility d. Your job title

c. Your credibility

A study by Williams and Miller concluded that approximately what percentage of executives' attempts to persuade were mismatched to their decision-making styles? a. 5% (very few) b. 25% (one-quarter) c. 95% (almost all) d. 50% (one-half)

d. 50% (one-half)