All PR Quiz Questions - Chapters 1-6

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) developed its first code of ethics in __________ and adopted a Declaration of Principles and a more developed code of ethical behavior in __________. Select one: a. 1954/1959 b. 1934/1962 c. 1956/1960 d. 1947/1954

a. 1954/1959

With the globalization of public relations, educational standards for public relations and the body of knowledge on which these would be based are __________ diverse than ever before. Select one: a. More b. Less

a. More

Any public may become a focal point for public relations activities. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Audience research is used by media to help sell advertising time and space and by media buyers to determine how to maximize their budgets to reach their publics most effectively. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Efforts to protect the consumer cover a wide range of areas but the text focuses on three: product, politics and promotions. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Every president since John F. Kennedy has appointed a national consumer advisor to his staff. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

In public relations, the term "public" includes any group of people who are tied together, however loosely, by some common bond of interest or concern and who have consequences for an organization. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Just as an actor studies a role and then becomes the character, a public relations person must develop a sensitivity and empathy to the attitudes of various priority publics and stakeholders. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Media extortion of public relations practitioners occurs regularly in many areas of the world, i.e. public relations practitioners must pay "bribes" if they want their news releases to be disseminated. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Most research supports the idea that top management sets the ethical tone for an organization. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Much of modern PR relies on electronic communication but PR still uses rhetoric, symbols and slogans as its tactics. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Organizational cultures change because they depend on the interaction of participants in them, but the most direct influence is the organizational leadership: a change of leadership changes the culture. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Public opinion is not necessarily based on facts but on perceptions or evaluations of events, persons, institutions or products. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Public relations deals with reality, not false fronts. a. True b. False

a. True

Public relations practitioners function in a climate of public opinion that often conditions their own perceptions and responses. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Public relations uses the term "stakeholders" to suggest a group of people who have an investment of time and/or money in an organization. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

The development of industry during the 1800s brought about the most significant changes in the history of PR. The technological advances of the Industrial Revolution changed and modernized the tactics and techniques of PR. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

The main criticism of using stereotypes to represent roles people perform or to view groups of people is that, for many, the image becomes the reality. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

The media's right to know is related to the public's right to information as expressed in the Freedom of Information Act. Select one: a. True b. False

a. True

Controlling publics, responding to publics, and __________ are three functions specifically assigned to public relations practitioners within an organization. a. achieving mutually beneficial relationships between publics and organizations b. manipulating public opinion c. achieving a positive organizational image d. attempting to change an organization's environment

a. achieving mutually beneficial relationships between public and organizations

Social responsibility is widely recognized today as: _______________________. Select one: a. an essential cost of doing business in the USA b. globally impossible c. a scam to get shareholders to believe their investment is sound d. the "green bandwagon" of involvement in environmental issues

a. an essential cost of doing business in the USA

Whistleblowers: _______________________. Select one: a. are individuals who call public attention to problems within their own industry, business or organization. b. are individuals rewarded for preserving their supervisors' integrity. c. are individuals who call public attention to problems and are rewarded for their unethical behavior. d. none of the above.

a. are individuals who call public attention to problems within their own industry, business or organization.

In a probability sample, members are chosen: Select one: a. at random. b. on the basis of demographic characteristics. c. in clusters. d. after they first volunteer to participate.

a. at random.

The behavioral model shifts the emphasis from creating or retaining awareness to: Select one: a. causing or creating action. b. identifying which publics have latent readiness to act. c. persuasion. d. correcting any imbalances in power that exist.

a. causing or creating action.

Arthur W. Page's management principles stress: Select one: a. conducting public relations as if the whole company depends on it. b. conducting public relations as if only management depends on it. c. conducting public relations as if public approval is not important to the organization's existence. d. all of the above.

a. conducting public relations as if the whole company depends on it.

John F. Mahon suggests which three PR strategies are most appropriate? Select one: a. containing/shaping/coping b. evaluating/monitoring/implementing c. deriving/defining/shaping d. defining/shaping/implementing

a. containing/shaping/coping

Using a motivational strategy to persuade involves: Select one: a. creating a need or stimulating a desire or want. b. providing factual information in the context of a memorable message. c. calling attention to social conditions. d. appealing to outer-directed rather than inner-directed people.

a. creating a need or stimulating a desire or want.

Group influence and pressure are particularly apparent and successful in persuasion efforts: Select one: a. during controversy. b. when issues are clear. c. when attitudes, not opinions, are under scrutiny. d. when the purpose of the communication is concealed.

a. during controversy.

The basis for organizational theory is: Select one: a. general systems theory. b. dependency theory. c. the combined experiences of organizations over a long period of time. d. none of the above.

a. general systems theory.

The diffusion cycle: Select one: a. helps explain a public's response to persuasive information in a situation that requires behavioral change. b. replaced the two-step flow theory as the dominent communication theory. c. describes what happens when messages from one culture are "exported" to other countries and cultures without sufficient research. d. involves researching the biggest questions first, then diffusing down to the small, more speicific questions.

a. helps explain a public's response to persuasive information in a situation that requires behavioral change.

An early example of American press agentry was the "Boston Massacre" in 1770. Select one: a. True b. False

b. False

Measuring message reception is more important than measuring understanding because understanding seems to occur independently of the messages received verbally. Select one: a. True b. False

b. False

Media ethics are not relevant for public relations or advertising. Select one: a. True b. False

b. False

Public opinion is what only a specific targeted public thinks, for instance what voters or teenagers or senior citizens or politicians think about a specific issue. Select one: a. True b. False

b. False

Public relations codes of ethics have been proven over time to be infallible forms of self-policing that also sufficiently satisfy the codes of ethics of the news media. Select one: a. True b. False

b. False

Public relations interprets the policies, statements and activities which contribute to an organization's reputation. Select one: a. True b. False

b. False

The first full school of public relations, later renamed "public communications," was established in 1947 by Washington University. Select one: a. True b. False

b. False

The only way to measure opinion is by using polls. Select one: a. True b. False

b. False

The management of news by U.S. presidents goes back to: Select one: a. Abraham Lincoln. b. George Washington. c. Theodore Roosevelt. d. Woodrow Wilson.

b. George Washington.

As a management function, public relations involves responsibility and responsiveness in policy and information to the best interests of the organization and its publics. a. True b. False

True

Although there are perhaps half a dozen self-described roles for PR practitioners, they may be telescoped into just two role categories, which are: Select one: a. manager and technician. b. prescriber and proscriber. c. descriptive or normative. d. individual or group.

a. manager and technician

Expertise of a source adds ______________ to persuasive impact than does the source's trustworthiness. Select one: a. more b. less

a. more

Personal persuaders - organizations, family members, and "significant others" you care about -- are __________________ effective and influential in getting people to do what you want than impersonal persuaders. Select one: a. more b. less

a. more

Persuasion appeals made over a period of time are ______ effective than appeals in a concentrated period of time. Select one: a. more b. less

a. more

Websites of organizations are more likely to be reliable than __________ sites. Select one: a. personal b. government

a. personal

One of the drawbacks to using survey research is: Select one: a. respondents may not tell the truth, either because they don't remember or because they want to appear different from how they really are. b. the flexibility of surveys. c. the response rates may be too high. d. none of the above is a drawback.

a. respondents may not tell the truth, either because they don't remember or because they want to appear different from how they really are.

An organization's reaction to its problems is determined in part by its structure and its corporate culture. Select one: a. true b. false

a. true

Sampling in survey research is based on the probability that the sample accurately represents the population from which the sample was drawn. Select one: a. true b. false

a. true

The school of higher education that was the first one to issue a publicity release was: Select one: a. Harvard University. b. King's College (now Columbia University). c. Yale University. d. None of the above

b. King's College (now Columbia University).

While nonprofit organizations generally pay their PR practitioners less, they offer several advantages. Which of the following is not an advantage? a. The nonprofit PR person generally has more freedom in designing PR programs. b. The nonprofit PR person generally reports to no one. c. The news media are generally more likely to use publicity information from a nonprofit PR person than from someone working for a profit-making corporation. d. Because nonprofit PR staffs are generally small, each practitioner is able to experience a greater variety of tasks than someone working in a large PR firm where each individual may be a specialist in one particular category of PR tasks.

b. The nonprofit PR person generally reports to no one.

As a publicity writer it would be unethical to accept: Select one: a. a byline. b. a payment. c. fame. d. a guest author title.

b. a payment

In the Yale approach to persuasion, the four elements of the information processing cycle are: Select one: a. trust, goodwill, power, and competence. b. attention, comprehension, acceptance, and retention. c. source, message, medium, and receiver. d. cognition, group dynamics, cognitive dissonance, and attribution.

b. attention, comprehension, acceptance, and retention.

The study of public opinion ties public relations research to both:_____________________. Select one: a. behavioral psychology and management b. behavioral psychology and economics c. economics and philosophy d. sociology and psychology

b. behavioral psychology and economics

The final step in formal research is to: Select one: a. analyze the data. b. communicate the results. c. determine whether the hypotheses were supported. d. interpret the data.

b. communicate the results.

Starck and Kruckeberg have identified three phenomena that have continuing effects on humankind and tremendous implications for professional public relations practice. They are: Select one: a. globalism/localism/multiculturalism. b. communication-transportation technology/multiculturalism/globalism. c. consumerism/globalism/information technologies. d. historicism/multiculturalism/globalism.

b. communication-transportation technology/multiculturalism/globalism.

Nominal data are organized into __________ categories while ordinal data are arranged by rank order. Select one: a. at least five b. exhaustive and mutually exclusive c. quantitative and qualitative d. individually named

b. exhaustive and mutually exclusive

The most basic research in PR involves systematic __________ of information. Select one: a. development and transmission b. gathering and retrieving c. re-creation d. quantitative analysis

b. gathering and retrieving

Structural functionalism, evolutionary perspective, social conflict, and symbolic interactionism theories: Select one: a. enable PR practitioners to move from individual to collective responses. b. help PR practitioners understand how people respond to communication from mass and specialized communication. c. explain the competing needs and goals of different groups. d. apply only to those PR situations that involve external publics

b. help PR practitioners understand how people respond to communication from mass and specialized communication.

One of the most important aspects of an organization's internal publics is their perception of the organization's __________. Select one: a. hierarchy b. image c. product line d. benefits package

b. image

A communication audit is an example of which type of research? Select one: a. formal b. informal

b. informal

The public relations practitioner serves as an __________ between the organization that he or she represents and all of that organization's publics. a. antagonist b. intermediary c. obstacle d. investigator

b. intermediary

Which of these factors that constrain public relations practitioners in their efforts to influence management pose the most serious problems? Select one: a. a narrow definition of the role of public relations and lack of access to management b. lack of access to management and restraints on information collection c. roadblocks to dissemination of timely, accurate information and restraints on information collection d. none of the above

b. lack of access to management and restraints on information collection

Name calling, testimonials, card stacking, and emotional stereotypes are examples of what? Select one: a. news management b. propaganda devices c. subversive rhetoric d. ineffective persuasion techniques

b. propaganda devices

Lifestyles, preferences and hobbies are characteristics measured by what kind of data? Select one: a. demographics b. psychographics c. geodemographics d. infographics

b. psychographics

Comparative ethics is the purview of: Select one: a. theologians and philosophers. b. psychologists and social scientists. c. both d. neither

b. psychologists and social scientists.

According to Lucien Matrat, creator of an international code of ethics for public relations, the first step in establishing public relations policies is harmonizing the interests of an enterprise with the interests of those on whom its growth depends. What does he say is the next step? a. motivating publics b. putting these public relations policies into practice c. consulting the body of knowledge d. developing a global public relations plan

b. putting these public relations policies into practice

Ethnic and religious publications have the highest credibility with their readers of all specialized media. Which media form has the highest credibility among mass media? Select one: a. suburban and small-town weekly newspapers b. television c. daily newspapers d. radio

b. television

Which of these documents encouraged the evolution of public relations? Select one: a. Magna Charta Libertatum b. Federalist Papers c. Bill of Rights d. None of the above

c. Bill of Rights

Which one of the following statements is true? Select one: a. One of the reasons the two-way symmetrical model for public relations is seen as desirable is that it allows for input from all affected publics but doesn't allow negotiation about policy decisions. b. One of the reasons the two-way symmetrical model for public relations is seen as desirable is that it allows for input from only external publics and for negotiations about policy. c. One of the reasons the two-way symmetrical model for public relations is seen as desirable is that it allows for input from all affected publics and for negotiations about policy decisions. d. none of the above.

c. One of the reasons the two-way symmetrical model for public relations is seen as desirable is that it allows for input from all affected publics and for negotiations about policy decisions.

__________ is the reality for publics, so when image and experience conflict, opinion of an institution takes a nosedive. Select one: a. Conception b. Preposition c. Perception d. Opinion

c. Perception

__________ responsibility means producing sound products or reliable services that don't threaten the environment and contributing positively to the social, political and economic health of the society. Select one: a. Ecological b. Economical c. Social d. Fiduciary

c. Social

The terms integrated communication or integrated and marketing communications are used to describe: Select one: a. business integration. b. marketing agency integration. c. advertising, public relations, and marketing integration. d. consumer agency integration.

c. advertising, public relations, and marketing integration.

For society to exist, people must achieve some minimum level of __________ that is usually reached through interpersonal and group communication. Select one: a. persuasion b. empathy c. agreement d. public relations

c. agreement

What type of model has replaced the communication model as the best theoretical underpinning of public relations? Select one: a. postmodern b. symmetrical c. behavioral d. conflict

c. behavioral

Political action committees (PACs) are: Select one: a. organizations for establishing ethical standards in politics. b. legal parts of political parties established especially for media relations. c. clearly identifiable legal organizations registered and incorporated in states to raise money for politicians or ballot issues that they favor. d. illegal organizations that operate in a clandestine way to raise money for politicians whom they favor.

c. clearly identifiable legal organizations registered and incorporated in states to raise money for politicians or ballot issues that they favor.

Repetition of a message increases the opportunity for exposure, while ______ increases credibility. Select one: a. ambiguity b. use of technical terminology c. consistency d. message texture

c. consistency

According to historian Alan R. Raucher, public relations developed faster in the United States than in other countries: Select one: a. due to the existence of developed industry in the USA. b. because of a lack of business organization in other countries. c. due to the power of media in the United States to render all large public institutions vulnerable to public opinion. d. due to governmental support for development of independent media in the USA.

c. due to the power of media in the United States to render all large public institutions vulnerable to public opinion.

Survey research uses descriptive statistics to analyze and interpret data, while __________ statistics permit drawing conclusions about a population. Select one: a. qualitative b. random c. inferential d. sampling

c. inferential

Into which two categories are publics often divided in traditional public relations literature? Select one: a. active and nonactive b. general and specific c. internal and external d. international and domestic

c. internal and external

Quantitative research: Select one: a. is an informal technique. b. is scientific. c. measures or counts. d. is more ethical than qualitative research.

c. measures or counts.

When we use authority and the implied or overt threat of compulsion to get people to do waht we want, we are taking a __________ approach. Select one: a. patronage b. Machiavellian c. power d. persuasion

c. power

The Values Attitudes and Lifestyles (VALS ™) framework has two dimensions: Select one: a. primary motivation and secondary motivation. b. resources and relationships. c. primary motivation and resources. d. attitudes and opinion.

c. primary motivation and resources.

The most familiar data-gathering device used in survey research is the: ____________. Select one: a. interview b. panel c. questionnaire d. focus group

c. questionnaire

The two broad categories of sources of research data are: Select one: a. government and private sector. b. paid and unpaid. c. scholarly and commercial. d. quantitative and qualitative.

c. scholarly and commercial.

The Noelle-Neumann theory that assumes a "powerful effects model" for media states that media can suppress public expression of opinions opposed to those presented in media content, creating a __________ that grows until the media's picture of reality becomes reality itself. Select one: a. power b. bridge of opinions c. spiral of silence d. game of effects

c. spiral of silence

Attitudes are: Select one: a. expressions of judgments -generally, not as strongly held as convictions but articulating sentiments or points of view. b. convictions firmly fixed in the bedrock of one's value system, embodying one's sense of truth. c. tendencies or orientations toward something or someone—a state of mind, a manner, a disposition, a position. d. all of above.

c. tendencies or orientations toward something or someone—a state of mind, a manner, a disposition, a position.

Because public relations is a service-oriented profession, which of the following must be its primary consideration? a. avoiding negative publicity b. the organization's bottom line c. the public interest d. strategic planning

c. the public interest

Individuals are more likely to seek and process information if: Select one: a. they are members of a latent public. b. they feel constrained from implementing a solution. c. they anticipate that it will help them solve a problem, and if they are personally involved in trying to solve the problem. d. they have a very small network of family and friends.

c. they anticipate that it will help them solve a problem, and if they are personally involved in trying to solve the problem.

The problem with adopting the two-way symmetric model of public relations in developing nations is: a. a lack of qualified PR practitioners. b. a business environment that is very competitive. c. two-way communication depends on a balance of power between publics and organizations, and this may not exist in developing nations. d. the culture doesn't have enough hierarchy.

c. two-way communication depends on a balance of power between publics and organizations, and this may not exist in developing nations.

The choice of the best medium to carry a message is critical. Which has proven to be the best medium to carry a simple message? Select one: a. audio, such as radio b. print, such as newspaper c. video, such as film d. none of these is effective with simple messages

c. video, such as film

Most professional PR practitioners recognize that they and their organizations have responsibilities to a minimum of __________ different publics. Select one: a. 100 b. 25 c. 9 d. 10

d. 10

Which of the following is a true statement? Select one: a. Business begins with the public's permission and survives because of its approval. b. Companies should find out what their publics want and expect from them. c. Public relations is built by performance, not by publicity. d. All of the above

d. All of the above

Which of the following is a true statement? Select one: a. People will relate to an idea, opinion, or point of view if they see it as having some direct effect on their hopes, fears, desires, or aspirations. b. People will endorse ideas only if the ideas are accompanied by a proposed action from the sponsor of the idea. c. The meaning of an idea, event, situation, or message has to be clear in order for it to be persuasive. d. All of the above.

d. All of the above.

Public relations pioneer __________ emphasized that organizations exist with the consent of their publics. Select one: a. Marvin Olasky b. Amitai Etzioni c. William D. Adams d. Edward Bernays

d. Edward Bernays

The real success of the term "public relations" can be credited to: Select one: a. Thomas Jefferson b. Dorman Eaton. c. Sigmund Freud. d. Edward Bernays.

d. Edward Bernays

The most important publicity bureau in the early 20th Century was founded by: Select one: a. Florence Kelly and John Graham Brooks. b. William Wolf Smith. c. Harvey W. Wiley. d. George F. Parker and Ivy Lee.

d. George F. Parker and Ivy Lee.

Who defined public relations as "the management of communication between an organization and its publics"? a. Edward Bernays b. T. Edward Temple c. Hazel Henderson d. James Grunig

d. James Grunig

The most famous and successful of the 19th Century press agents who created, promoted, and exploited the careers of many celebrities was: Select one: a. John Filson. b. Harriet Beecher Stowe. c. Wild Bill Hickok. d. P.T. Barnum.

d. P.T. Barnum.

Ethical conflicts among multinational corporations include issues such as: ______________________________. Select one: a. the status of women and children b. hiring practices, job descriptions, and conditions for promotion c. treatment of animals and contracts or agreements with suppliers or the government d. all of the above

d. all of the above

Ethical problems that must be resolved in public relations research include: Select one: a. how to collect data. b. how to accumulate and store information. c. how to use research. d. all of the above.

d. all of the above

In employing public opinion surveys, there may be an occasion when responses are based on __________ rather than on knowledge and understanding of the issue. Select one: a. beliefs and values b. uninformed opinions c. hearsay d. all of the above

d. all of the above

PR practitioners commonly use research for: ___________. Select one: a. problem identification b. evaluation of programs c. program development and implementation d. all of the above

d. all of the above

Priority publics can be described: Select one: a. Normatively. b. Demographically. c. Psychographically. d. All of the above.

d. all of the above

Which of the following is a factor in what happens in an organization under the name of public relations? a. the education of the individuals doing public relations work in the organization b. the type of organization c. the organization's culture d. all of the above

d. all of the above

Which of the following is a true statement? Select one: a. The PR person learns about what is happening outside an organization by being exposed to pressures generated by various groups seeking support. b. Sometimes the PR practitioner must raise all the salient arguments against a proposed course of action and explain which decisions will have an adverse effect on certain groups. c. Some of the traditional tools the PR practitioner uses, such as personal contact and mass media, remain useful even as new tools have been developed. d. All of the above.

d. all of the above

Which of the following is an element of self-persuasion, the strongest and most effective type of persuasion? Select one: a. consistency b. reciprocity c. social validation d. all of the above

d. all of the above

Which of the following is one of the three main roles of a public relations practitioner? a. independent PR practitioner b. agency employee c. staff member d. all of the above

d. all of the above

Which of the following is one of the values PR brings to an organization? a. The dialogue created by public relations can encourage mutual adjustments etween an organization and the society it serves. b. PR provides useful information to people about various aspects of their lives. c. PR helps management formulate, advocate and reach sounder objectives. d. All of the above.

d. all of the above

Which of the following is something you need to know to be able to judge whether you can reliably use existing research? Select one: a. who sponsored the research b. how the data was collected c. from what population the data was collected d. all of the above

d. all of the above

The expert prescriber, a self-described role for PR practitioners identified by Glen Broom and George Smith, is: a. a supportive, skills oriented model. b. a yes-person model. c. a managerial model. d. an authoritarian and prescriptive model.

d. an authoritarian and prescriptive model

The Consumers Union is: Select one: a. an organization that takes complaints from consumers. b. an agency for consumer advocacy. c. a government agency. d. an independent nonprofit organization that helps consumers spend their money more wisely.

d. an independent nonprofit organization that helps consumers spend their money more wisely.

The public relations practitioner who specializes in financial PR or investor relations generally works most closely with which other corporate officer? a. liaison to the outside accounting firm b. head of employee relations c. marketing manager d. chief financial office

d. chief financial officer

Senders of messages must encode information into something personally meaningful to an intended receiver. Receivers first decode the information, then ________ their response to the message. Select one: a. change b. decode c. interpret d. encode

d. encode

A semantic differential scale measures the __________ of responses. Select one: a. direction b. range c. differential d. intensity

d. intensity

A purposive sample is chosen because: Select one: a. it is random. b. it ensures that an appropriate quota of each type of individual is included. c. is most accurately represents the entire population. d. its members have expertise or background that is particularly germane to the research topic.

d. its members have expertise or background that is particularly germane to the research topic.

Paying a bribe, paying a celebrity to make advertising endorsements, and makeing a substantial contribution to a community project are examples of which method of getting people to do what you want? Select one: a. persuasion b. power c. pressure d. patronage

d. patronage

Maslow's hierarchy of needs identifies __________ as the most basic of human needs. Select one: a. safety b. self-esteem c. self-actualization d. physical needs

d. physical needs

Content analysis is a (an) __________ research method that might be used to analyze what is said during a focus group or the newspaper coverage an organization receives. Select one: a. informal b. secondary c. nonscientific d. quantitative

d. quantitative

The response of business to social issues is too often: a. publicity-seeking. b. based on economic models. c. focused on what's good for the public, not necessarily for the business. d. reactive and defensive rather than proactive and taking the initiative.

d. reactive and defensive rather than proactive and taking the initiative.

The ___________ model of persuasion attempts to account for variables in their environment that enable individuals to interpret the reality presented by the mass media. Select one: a. psychodynamic b. neurobiological c. behavioral d. sociocultural

d. sociocultural

The first step in formal research is to: Select one: a. obtain the data. b. develop hypotheses. c. design the experiment. d. state the problem.

d. state the problem.

When PR practitioners play the role of problem finders, and problem solvers or preventers, Select one: a. they are dealing with intangible, immeasurable, and unpredictable elements of a business b. they are engaged in conducting communication audits. c. they are engaged in propaganda-for-hire. d. they are identifying issues and communicating the significance and potential for problems of those issues to management.

d. they are identifying issues and communicating the significance and potential for problems of those issues to management.

Public relations in the USA began with_____, _____, and _____.

publicity, promotion, and press agentry.

The three main roles of public relations professionals are those of ___ ___, ___ ___, and ___ ___.

staff member; agency employee; independent practitioner