COMM 3383 EXAM #1
theoretical explanations for FITD (foot in the door)
-Bems self-perception theory: people make self attributions based on their own behavior -Gorassini tolson: self perception is not the only explanation, the request may consider whether other would reject the request -compliance is lower if a person believes others would be unlikely to comply
pre-giving examples
-befriending your neighbor: ned fixes carls sprinkler then asks to borrow earls lawnmower -political favors: campaign contributions buy access to a politician if not votes -panhandling tour guides: panhandlers volunteer directions to tourists, than ask for tip -pre-giving sales: a company gives important clients free tickets to a ball game
example of borderline persuasion
-derelicts appearance -social modeling of behavior -persuasive attempts that backfire
pre-giving
-favors and gifts create a sense of indebtedness -returning favors is culturally universal
ELM role of involvement
-high involvement increases the likelihood of central processing -low involvement increases the likelihood of peripheral processing -high involvement decreases reliance on credibility (peripheral cue)
ELM persistence of persuasion
-persuasion that takes via the central route tends to be more lasting -persuasion that takes via the peripheral route tends to be more short lived
legitimizing paltry contributions
-pre-emts potential objections -induces guilt if the target declines -letting people know that very small donations would be acceptable -produces a large quantity of smaller donations: donors tend to give more than the minimum -less effective for requests to donate time rather than money -"even a penny will help"
ELM central route
-reflective, requires mental effort and relies on cognitive elaboration -motivation (willingness) to process a message -ability to process (understand) a message
ELM peripheral route
-reflexive, based on mental shortcuts -credibility appearance cues, quantity of arguments -heuristic cues (decision rules): rules for simplifying the thought process
why study persuasion?
-surrounded by influence attempts both explicit and implicit no matter where we are -persuasion is a powerful and often prosocial force -persuasion is a central feature of every sphere of communication
Examples of FITM (foot in the mouth) strategy
-telemarketers: "how are you today?" -food servers: "what beautiful weather we're having" -warm-up act: "who's ready to have fun?"
example of pure persuasion
-tv commercial -attorneys closing remarks to jury -pop-up ad on the internet
elaboration likelihood model (ELM)
-two basic routes to persuasion: central and peripheral -they represent the ends of elaboration continuum -they represent qualitatively different modes of info processing
door in the face (DITF) strategy
1) a person is presented with an initial, large request which he/she is inclined to reject 2) the person thereby becomes more likely to accept something to second more reasonable request
5 benefits of studying persuasion
1) become effective persuader 2) enhance knowledge and awareness of a variety of persuasive processes 3) serves as a defensive function 4) serves a debunking function 5) ability to persuade others improves ones subjective sense of well-being
secondary dimensions of credibility
1) dynamism (extroversion) 2) composure (poise) 3) sociability (likability)
theoretical explanations for the DITF (door in the face) strategy
1) perceptual contrast phenomenon: 2nd request seems much more reasonable by comparison 2) self-presentation explanation: the target doesn't want to be perceived negatively by others 3) reciprocal concessions: the target perceives he/she is engaged in a bargaining situation 4) guilt-based explanation: the target feels guilty for not being helpful 5) social responsibility position: we comply based on our own internal standards
Which statement best reflects Gass & Seiter's perspective on verbal aggression in political campaigns?
Attacks aimed at a politician's character, so long as they are truthful, are useful in helping voters make an informed choice
When considering the situation, which of the following is true? A) A persuader must consider audience members' traits first and foremost. B) A persuader must adapt his/her message to the listener's frame of reference. C) A persuader should aim her/his message at the audience's latitude of rejection. D) A persuader should consider each listener a "blank slate" on which to write her/his message.
B: a persuader must adapt his/her message to the listeners frame of reference
Which of the following decreases children's vulnerability to being persuaded by television advertisements? A) repeated exposure to advertisements B) family interaction that focuses on looking at ads critically C) peer pressure D) All of the answers are correct.
B: family interaction that focuses on looking at ads critically
Credit card companies that offer a low, introductory "teaser" rate, and then up the interest rate dramatically a few months later, are guilty of using which strategy below? A) foot in the door B) lowball tactic
B: lowball tactic
Which of the following statements best reflects the view of persuasion offered by Gass & Seiter? A) On balance, persuasion probably does more harm than good B) Persuasion is an essential, desirable feature of human interaction C) Persuasion emphasizes manipulation, communication emphasizes cooperation D) Persuasion is a necessary, but unfortunate, fact of life
B: persuasion is an essential, desirable feature of human interaction
Which of the following groups of receivers would tend to rely less on credibility as a peripheral cue and more on the content or substance of a message? A) alumni of a college where a tuition hike was being considered B) students at a college where a tuition hike was being considered C) faculty at a college where a tuition hike was being considered D) students at a different college than the one considering a tuition hike
B: students at a college where a tuition hike was being considered
Which of the following must occur for the door in the face tactic to work? A) The persuader's initial request must be accepted. B) The same person must make the first and second requests.
B: the same person must make the first and second requests
Which of the following is not appropriate advice for enhancing credibility? A) Cite your own or your source's qualifications and expertise up front B) Attempt to build trust by demonstrating that you are sincere C) Improve your likeability, or L-factor D) Engage in a powerless style of communication
D: engage in a powerless style of communication
Which strategy below is most advisable for increasing one's credibility? A) Emphasize the ways in which you're different from your listeners, so they'll recognize you have a fresh point of view. B) Rely on spontaneity; don't plan in advance what it is you want to say. C) Never use slang; always adopt a formal style of language. D) Identify a source's qualifications prior to presenting information from that source.
D: identify a sources qualifications prior to presenting information from that source
Which of the following best describes segmentation analysis? 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
D: tailoring a message to a specific sub-group or niche audience based on their unique characteristics
Which of the following is most true about the lapse of time between the first and second requests in the door in the face tactic?
The delay between both requests must be brief.
Customer: I don't think I'll buy the stereo today. Salesperson: Why not? Customer: It's too expensive. Salesperson: There's always a layaway plan. Customer: I don't have time today. Salesperson: I can do the paperwork in less than 5 minutes... This conversation best illustrates the salesperson's use of which tactic?
The dump-and-chase
Pure persuasion means
all the ingredients for what most people would consider to be persuasion are present
meaning transfer perspective
an endorsers persona is projected onto the brand
According to the Theory of Planned Behavior, an effective approach when attempting to persuade a person to engage in healthy eating would be to
bolster the individual's perceived behavioral control over his/her eating habits
Finding additional reasons for a bad decision, or providing rationalizations for a risky decision, involve
bolstering
You see two unsavory-looking characters standing near an ATM machine and decide to go elsewhere to make a cash withdrawal. Their threatening appearance best represents
borderline persuasion
Gretchen is a public speaker who recognizes differences in perspectives among her audiences. She attempts to cater her messages to her listeners and, consequently is more successful at persuading. According to persuasion researchers, Gretchen can be considered
cognitively complex
Gordon wants his wife to spend two weeks fishing with him in Hawaii, even though his wife hates fishing. To get her to agree, he first asks if she will go hunting (something she also hates doing) with him for six months in Alaska. When she rejects the Alaska offer, he says, "Well, then how about a two-week fishing trip to Hawaii?" Gordon's strategy is based on which of the following tactics?
door in the face
When experts in one field are assumed to be experts in new and unrelated fields, which of the following "effects" has taken place?
halo effect
You advise a friend to enroll in Professor Windplenty's class because "he's an easy 'A.'" A stranger in the registration line overhears you and decides to sign up for the same professor. This is an example of
he unintended receiver effect
Who would probably be most persuaded by an advertisement promising viewers that using a product would make them popular?
high self-monitors
According to Gass & Seiter, companies use ________________ to enhance their credibility.
image restoration
Bessie looks up to her older sister, Mallory, as a role model. One day, Bessie sees Mallory smoking a cigarette. Mallory is embarrassed and engages in facework to restore her face in Bessie's eyes. Which concept best illustrates her attempt to manage her self-image?
impression management theory
One way to help ensure that a persuasive message will have a lasting effect on receivers is to
increase their involvement in the issue
Although you don't know him well, you know that your neighbor, Roy, belongs to the Tea Party and is an NRA member. Decals on his car bumper say so. So you suspect he will not be happy to learn that a same sex couple bought the house next to him. You are
inferring attitudes from associations
Quincy wants to speak to his professor about his last paper. He intends to challenge the professor about his grade. Shortly into the conversation, Quincy realizes he misunderstood the assignment. Rather than challenge the grade, he decides to ask for a chance to rewrite the paper. This best reflects the notion that
people's goals may change during a persuasive encounter
If something is forbidden, it becomes all the more desirable. This tendency, also known as "reverse psychology," is called:
psychological reactance
A preacher reminds his congregation that even though forgiving a sinner may not be easy, it is the Christian thing to do. This is an example of
reinforcing existing attitudes and beliefs
The norm of reciprocity suggests that we should
repay, in kind, what another person has provided us.
The issue of mindfulness is a concern when relying on self-reports because
respondents do not know their own minds
People who often provide suggestions to their circle of friends such as, "You should try it," "You have to see this movie," and "You need to buy it, it is the best thing yet!" are termed
salespersons
What type of attitude scale is depicted below? Same Sex Marriage Good : _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: Bad Unethical: _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: Ethical Wrong: _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: Right
semantic Differential
Counterattitudinal advocacy suggests that after having a person create and present a message that is at odds with her/his existing attitudes, she/he is more likely to
shift her/his attitudes in the direction of the position advocated
Which theory or model states that messages that fall within a listener's latitude of acceptance will be assimilated and perceived as closer to the listener's position than the message actually is?
social judgement theory
Which persuasion theory includes a motivation to comply component"?
theory of reasoned action (TRA)
Kevin wants to try to persuade Bubbles to do something but is not sure it's possible because Bubbles is so authoritarian. Based on what you know from the text, which type of influence tactic would work best on Bubbles?
threaten Bubbles by telling him that something bad will happen if he doesn't comply tell Bubbles he'll be more likeable if he complies
is a message gains sufficient traction, it reaches a ________ and becomes "contagious"
tipping point
strategies for enhancing credibility
1) prepare thoroughly, never "wing it" 2) cite evidence and source qualifications 3) state your own background and expertise 4) build your trust by identifying w/ your audience 5) display goodwill by showing you are 6) improve your likability 7) adapt your language style to your audience 8) avoid a powerless style of communication 9) emphasize your similarity to your listeners 10) increase listener involvement to promote central processing 11) have an admired source introduce you
keys to FITD (foot in the door) strategy
1) size of 1st request: must be small enough to ensure compliance but not so small as to appear trivial 2) prosocial requests: the strategy works best with prosocial causes 3) no external incentives: there should be no external inducements such as payment or rewards 4) who makes the request: the 1st and 2nd requests need NOT be made by the same requester 5) social labeling: positive labels help activate relevant attitudes 6) who answers the door: people with high need for consistency are more susceptible; people with high self-concept clarity are more susceptible 7) time delay: a time delay between the 1st and 2nd request may help activate relevant attitudes
keys to the DITF (door in the face strategy)
1) size of the initial request: must be large enough to be rejected but not ludicrous 2) prosocial requests 3) time delay: the 2nd request should follow right after the 1st 4) who makes the request: 1st and 2nd request must be made by the same requester 5) size of the follow-up request: must be unambiguously smaller than the 1st 6) who answers the door: works best with exchange oriented people
why does pre-giving work so well?
1) the liking explanation: the pre-giver is perceived as a good, kind person; best used when the return favor is for a good cause 2) physical attractiveness: do-gooders are perceived to be more attractive 3) perceived ulterior motives explanation: obvious attempts to curry favor are less successful 3) gratitude explanation: the pre-giver evokes "good vibes"; best used when the return favor benefits the pre-giver
Which of the following slogans would be best suited for a collectivistic culture? A) "Making friends everywhere" B) "A leader among leaders" C) "What you want is what counts" D) "You are the best"
A: "making friends everywhere"
All of the following are reasons why advertisers and marketers are relying increasingly on segmentation to target consumers except A) consumers tend to have similar tastes and values because of globalization. B) it is difficult to reach most consumers via prime-time TV ads. C) niche groups such as teens or gays have considerable purchasing power. D) "one size fits all" strategies are no longer effective.
A: consumers tend to have similar tastes and values because of globalization
Central processing involves all of the following except: A) heuristic cues B) cognitive elaboration C) greater motivation D) ability to process information
A: heuristic cues
Which of the following best reflects the view of persuasion offered in the text? A) People actually aren't all that gullible or easy to persuade B) There is a sucker born every minute C) Anyone can be persuaded if you know the right button to push D) Persuaders know far more about persuading than researchers do about how persuasion works
A: people actually aren't all that gullible or easy to persuade
Petty and Cacioppo's ELM postulates that there are two routes to persuasion:
a central route, and a peripheral route
foot in the mouth (FITM) strategy
acknowledging that one is in a good mood predisposes a person to be more agreeable
While visiting a friend's house, a delinquent teen takes several valuable baseball trading cards from a collection belonging to the friend's father. The teen tells himself, "I'm not stealing them, I'm just borrowing them for a while." The teen is engaging in
differentiation
discounting cue
disclaimer containing negative info about source, message, or both
What compliance-gaining strategy is the child using in the dialogue that follows? Child: "Mom, can I stay home from school today so we can go to Disneyland?" Parent: "No." Child, "Well, then can I at least go to a friend's house after school to play?" Parent: "O.K."
door in the face
A defining feature of attitudes is that they are
evaluative
An ad on a cable TV channel states, "We use only genuine, certified psychics!" This claim illustrates the importance of which dimension of credibility?
expertise
n general, which primary dimension of credibility is thought to have the greatest impact on a persuasive message?
expertise
The primary dimensions of credibility are
expertise, trustworthiness, and goodwill.
According to Reinforcement Expectancy Theory,
female doctors are more persuasive when using positive strategies.
lowball tactic
involves making an offer that sounds too good to b true. There are however, hidden strings attatched. Once the consumer is psychologically committed, it is hard to back out -effectiveness based on: psychological commitment & unfulfilled obligations
persuasion
involves one or more persons who are engaged in the activity of creating, reinforcing, modifying, or extinguishing beliefs, attitudes, intentions, motivations, and/or behaviors within the constraints of a given communication context
When seeking donations for her school fundraiser, Jan told each person, "Please contribute to our school fundraiser. Every penny will help!" Which compliance-gaining strategy is Jan using?
legitimizing paltry contributions
borderline persuasion
less clear-cut cases of influence 1) is missing one or more of litmus tests -may or may not be intentional -may or may not produce the intended effect
Borderline persuasion refers to
less traditional or obvious forms of influence
What type of attitude scale is depicted below? "Marijuana should be legalized for medicinal uses." strongly disagree______ moderately disagree______ neutral/no opinion_____ moderately agree______ strongly agree______
likert
On the first day of school, Professor Wilson gave every student a pencil and a bookmark. The students immediately favored him over other professors. Which explanation for his pregiving strategy is the most appropriate?
liking explanation
third person effect
people see themselves as less susceptible to advertising and others as more susceptible
According to the "Tipping Point" theory, people who have lots of expertise and know-how are known as:
mavens
Over time, the characteristics of a celebrity become associated with the brands the celebrity endorses. Thus Dwayne Johnson's physical strength might "rub off" on a product, such as a Chevy pickup. This phenomenon is known as:
meaning transfer perspective
Because people don't want to appear unintelligent or uninformed, some respondents in public opinion polls will make up a position on an issue. This problem is known as
non-attitudes
why is pre-giving so effective?
norm of reciprocity -favors create sense of indebtedness -impression management: people want to maintain a positive image -internalized social norm: repaying favors is seen as the right thing to do
pure persuasion
obvious, clear-cut cases of persuasion 1) is intentional 2) is effective or successful 3) is noncoercive 4) relies on language and symbolic action 5) involves two or more persons
foot in the door strategy (FITD)
person who agrees to a small, initial request is more likely to comply with a subsequent larger request
A boutique clothing store offers shoppers a glass of wine or a cup of coffee when they enter the store. This strategy is known as
pregiving
Hiroshi acts nice to potential customers in order to get them to buy his wares. This is an example of which sequential persuasion tactic?
pregiving
The "norm of reciprocity" has been used to explain the effectiveness of which of the following sequential persuasion tactics?
pregiving
Whether a source possesses credibility is determined primarily by
the receiver
the sleeper effect
suggests under right circumstances the delayed impact of a message may be more effective than its initial impact -message initially advocated by a low credibility source may increase in persuasiveness over time -the source and the message must be disassociated by using a discounting cue -w/o the "ball and chain" of the low credibility course, the message becomes more persuasive
When an endorser's public persona is projected onto a brand, the brand's image is incorporated into the consumer's self-concept. This view is based upon
the meaning transfer perspective
primary dimensions of credibility: expertise (competence) (most important)
the persuader has knowledge, skills, knows his/her stuff
primary dimensions of credibility: trustworthiness (character, integrity)
the persuader is honest, safe, dependable
primary dimensions of credibility: goodwill (perceived caring)
the persuader takes a genuine interest in you
The idea that persuasion requires free choice or free will focuses on
the receiver
A/An ______ is stable across situations and a/an ________ varies across situations.
trait, state
Linda gets very angry with her spouse for not taking care of their children on weekends when she wants to go out with friends. During arguments, she will call him names and threaten to leave him if he doesn't change his ways. This is an example of
verbal agressiveness
marketing (WOM) based on social networks is also known as
viral marketing
