Week 5

Question 1

Persuasion

Answer 1

The process by which a message induces change in beliefs, attitudes, or behaviours.
Propaganda vs. Education.

Question 2

Central Route to Persuasion

Answer 2

Occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favourable thoughts.
Typically more enduring.
Weak message will result in counter arguments.

Question 3

Peripheral Route to Persuasion

Answer 3

Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as speakers attractiveness or similarity.
Uninvolved audience.
Heurisitics to make snap judgements.

Question 4

What are the elements of persuasion?

Answer 4

The communicator, the message, the channel of message, the audience.

Question 5

What makes a persuasive communicator?

Answer 5

Credibility, perceieved expertise and trustworthiness, attractiveness and likeness.

Question 6

Credibility

Answer 6

Believability. A credible communicator is perceived both expert and trustworthy.

Question 7

Sleeper Effect

Answer 7

A delayed impact of a message, occurs when we remember a message but forget a reason for discounting it, or its source.

Question 8

Attractiveness

Answer 8

Having qualities that appeal to an audience. An appealing communicator (often someone similar to the audience), is most persuasive on matters of subjective preference.

Question 9

To use reason or emotion:

Answer 9

Depends on audience: thoughtful or involved audience use central route so use reason.
Depends on how attitudes are formed: attitudes formed by emotion are better persuaded with emotion.

Question 10

When is fear most effective?

Answer 10

When it is accompanied with a realisitic solution.

Question 11

Small or large discrepancy?

Answer 11

High credibility - use large discrepancy.

High involvement with topic - use small.

Question 12

One-Sided or Two?

Answer 12

One sided most effective with those who already agree.

Two sided most effective with those who don’t already agree.

Question 13

Primacy Effect

Answer 13

Other things being equal, information presented 1st usually has the most influence.

Question 14

Recency Effect

Answer 14

Information presented last sometimes has the most influence. Recency effects are less common than primacy. Recency more common when a time period separates the first message from the second.

Question 15

Active experience or passive reception

Answer 15

Persuasion decreases as the significance of an issue increases for passive reception. Active experience creates more enduring attitudes.

Question 16

Two-Step Flow of Communication

Answer 16

The process by which influence often occurs through opinion leaders, who in turn influence others.
“influencers.” Big indirect effect on behaviour.

Question 17

Life Cycle Explanation

Answer 17

Attitudes change as people grow older.

Question 18

Generational Explanation

Answer 18

Attitudes don’t change, older people hold onto attitudes developed when young, which differ from those attitudes being adopted today, creating a generation gap.

Question 19

When are attitudes most likely to change?

Answer 19

Teens and early 20’s, and in old age as attitudes weaken.

Question 20

Forewarning and distraction effects

Answer 20

Forewarning of potential persuasion results in prepared counter arguments, while distractions inhibit counterarguments.

Question 21

Need for cognition

Answer 21

The motivation to think and analyze. Central Route.

Question 22

Cults

Answer 22

Groups typically characterized by the distinctive ritual of their devotion to a god/person, isolation from surrounding “evil” culture, and a charismatic leader.

Question 23

How do cults indoctrinate?

Answer 23

Compliance breeds acceptance, foot in the door phenomenon, persuasive elements, group effects.

Question 24

How can we resist persuasion?

Answer 24

Attitude strength, information-processing biases, reactance, strengthening personal commitment, and inoculation programs.

Question 25

Attitude Inoculation

Answer 25

Exposing people to weak attacks on their attitudes so that when stronger attacks come, they will have refutations available.

Question 26

Inoculation Programs

Answer 26

Helping children prepare, and role play counter arguments to peer pressure and advertisements.

Question 27

Selective Exposure

Answer 27

The extent to which people’s attitudes bias the attitude-relevant information they expose themselves to.

Question 28

Selective Attention

Answer 28

The extent to which people’s attitudes bias the attitude-relevant info they attend to once exposed.

Question 29

Selective Memory

Answer 29

The extent to which people’s attitudes bias recall and recognition of attitude-relevant information.

Question 30

Reactance

Answer 30

A motive to protect and restore one’s self of freedom. Arises when someone threatens our freedom of action, resulting in an anti-conformity “boomerang” effect.