Social Topic 4

Question 1

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

Answer 1

• Small request first, then a larger request.
• Works due to consistency principle (Cialdini, 2001).

Question 2

Door-in-the-Face Technique

Answer 2

• Large, unreasonable request first, then a smaller, real request.
• Works due to guilt and social reputation (O’Keefe & Figgé, 1999).

Question 3

Low-Balling Technique

Answer 3

• Get initial commitment, then change terms to be less favorable.
• Works due to commitment and consistency (Burger & Caputo, 2015).

Question 4

Norm of Reciprocity

Answer 4

• People feel obligated to return favors.
• Example: If given a free sample, more likely to buy the product.

Question 5

Ingratiation

Answer 5

• Using flattery, praise, or kindness to gain influence.
• Increases likability and compliance (Edward E. Jones, 1964).

Question 6

Fear-Based Persuasion

Answer 6

• Uses fear to change behaviour.
• Only effective if clear solutions are provided.

Question 7

Cognitive Dissonance

Answer 7

Psychological discomfort from conflicting beliefs or behaviors (Festinger, 1957).

Question 8

Causes of Cognitive Dissonance

Answer 8

• Acting against personal beliefs.
• Receiving new contradictory information.
• Making difficult choices.

Question 9

Ways to Reduce Cognitive Dissonance

Answer 9

• Change a belief – Modify existing attitudes to match behaviour.
• Change an action – Stop the conflicting behavior.
• Change perception of the action – Justify the behaviour.

Question 10

Festinger & Carlsmith (1959) Study

Answer 10

• Participants lied about a boring task for $1 or $20.
• $1 participants had insufficient justification → changed attitudes.

Question 11

Challenge to Cognitive Dissonance: Self-Perception Theory

Answer 11

(Bem, 1972) People infer attitudes from their behavior when internal cues are weak.

Question 12

Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

Answer 12

Explains how people process persuasive messages (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986).

Question 13

Central Route to Persuasion

Answer 13

• High cognitive effort → Focus on logical arguments.
• Requires motivation & ability.
• Example: Evaluating political policies.

Question 14

Peripheral Route to Persuasion

Answer 14

• Low cognitive effort → Superficial cues.
• Used when motivation or ability is low.
• Example: Voting for a candidate based on appearance.

Question 15

Factors Affecting Route Selection

Answer 15

• Motivation: Higher relevance → central route.
• Ability: More cognitive resources → central route.

Question 16

Dual-Process Model (Kahneman, 2003)

Answer 16

• System 1: Fast, automatic, emotion-based (peripheral route).
• System 2: Slow, deliberate, logic-based (central route).

Question 17

Heuristic-Systematic Model (HSM)

Answer 17

Explains persuasion through systematic (deep) or heuristic (shortcut) processing (Chaiken, 1980).

Question 18

Difference Between ELM & HSM

Answer 18

HSM allows both routes simultaneously, while ELM suggests one at a time.

Question 19

Sufficiency Threshold in HSM

Answer 19

People process deeply until they feel confident in their judgment.

Question 20

Peripheral Cues (Low-effort)

Answer 20

• Source attractiveness (celebrity endorsements).
• Source credibility (expert opinion).
• Repetition (mere exposure effect).

Question 21

Central Arguments (High-effort)

Answer 21

• Logical reasoning.
• Statistical data.
• Scientific evidence.

Question 22

Resisting Persuasion

Answer 22

• Inoculation effect
• Forewarning
• Reactance

Question 23

Inoculation effect

Answer 23

Exposure to weak counterarguments strengthens resistance to persuasion.

Question 24

Forewarning

Answer 24

Being warned about a persuasion attempt increases resistance.

Question 25

Reactance

Answer 25

People resist persuasion when they feel their freedom is threatened.