Question 1

A television commercial for a travel agency featuring a trip to Italy included Italian music in the background and showed diners in a restaurant with the red and white tablecloths found in so many Italian restaurants. Which message characteristic that influences comprehension is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of message congruity, as the background music and visual elements are consistent with the message of the advertisement promoting a trip to Italy.

Question 2

What occurs when consumers read an advertisement for a clothing store and believe they will get 50% off the purchase of a second item of equal or lesser value?

Accepted Answer

Comprehension is the understanding of the message conveyed in the advertisement, which in this case is the 50% off offer on the purchase of a second item of equal or lesser value.

Question 3

Which term refers to the interpretation or understanding that a consumer develops about some attended stimulus in order to assign meaning?

Accepted Answer

Comprehension refers to the process by which a consumer interprets or understands a stimulus in order to assign meaning to it. It is the final step in the perceptual process, after sensation and attention. Exposure refers to the process of bringing a stimulus to the consumer's attention, while sensation refers to the physical process of receiving stimuli through the senses.

Question 4

Social stereotype is another word for social schema.

Accepted Answer

True, social stereotype and social schema are interchangeable terms for a mental framework or image we have about certain individuals or groups based on societal norms or cultural beliefs.

Question 5

What represents the extent to which a message is internally consistent and fits surrounding information?

Accepted Answer

Message congruity represents how well a message fits surrounding information and is internally consistent. Choice B refers to a specific shape, choice C refers to the background of a message or image, and choice D refers to how intricate or detailed a message is.

Question 6

A print advertisement for Nivea skin lotion uses tangible attributes like pastel colours and script-type fonts to make the product appear feminine. Which characteristic of the message does this exemplify?

Accepted Answer

The use of pastel colours and script-type fonts are physical characteristics of the advertisement that are used to evoke a feminine image, making it an example of this characteristic of the message.

Question 7

An advertisement for Corona beer shows a couple lounging in beach chairs on a beautiful beach. The water is crystal clear, the sky is brilliantly blue, and the sand is white. With respect to message characteristics that influence comprehension, what is represented in the message by the water, sky, and sand?

Accepted Answer

The water, sky, and sand serve as the "ground" in the advertisement, providing the background against which the main elements (the couple and the beer) are highlighted.

Question 8

Comprehension is made up of both cognitive and affective elements. What are the two things that are examined in the process of comprehension?

Accepted Answer

Comprehension involves both cognitive (thoughts, understanding) and affective (feelings, emotions) elements. Therefore, the two things that are examined in the process of comprehension are thoughts and feelings.

Question 9

A social exemplar is the cognitive representation that gives a specific type of person meaning.

Accepted Answer

This is a social schema.

Question 10

Personal elaboration provides the deepest comprehension and greatest chance of accurate recall.

Accepted Answer

Personal elaboration involves connecting new information to personal experiences, beliefs, or values, which leads to a more meaningful understanding of the material. This type of deep processing leads to better recall and retention of the information. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 11

What term refers to the object that is intended to capture a person's attention in the message?

Accepted Answer

The term "figure" refers to the object that is intended to capture a person's attention in the message, distinguishing it from the background or "ground."

Question 12

Social memory refers to the memory for past events in one's life.

Accepted Answer

Social memory refers to the memory for past events that are shared by a group of individuals, such as cultural or historical events.

Question 13

A script is a schema representing an event.

Accepted Answer

A script is a pre-arranged sequence of events or series of actions that are executed in a specific order in order to achieve a particular goal or outcome. It may be a written document, a diagram, or a mental plan.

Question 14

Continuation refers to the extent to which a consumer continues processing a message even after an initial understanding is achieved in the comprehension stage.

Accepted Answer

Elaboration refers to the extent to which a consumer continues processing a message even after an initial understanding is achieved in the comprehension stage.

Question 15

A television commercial shows a car driving on a curvy road. The camera pans out to show the car zooming around the curves and then zooms in to show both the exterior and the interior of the car close up. In terms of message characteristics influencing comprehension, what does the car represent in the advertisement?

Accepted Answer

The car is the main subject or figure of the advertisement, as it is the primary focus of the camera and the central element of the commercial.

Question 16

Which theory tells us that communications provide information in ways beyond the explicit or obvious content of a message?

Accepted Answer

Signal theory suggests that communications convey information beyond the explicit content, often through implicit cues or signals.

Question 17

Which of the following is an environmental characteristic affecting consumer comprehension?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is an environmental...

Question 18

Which statement does NOT accurately summarize the physical characteristics of a message?

Accepted Answer

This statement is not accurate since studies have shown that color can have an impact on comprehension, especially when used to highlight key points or differentiate between parts of a message.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the message that influences comprehension?

Accepted Answer

Habituation is not a characteristic of the message that influences comprehension.

Question 20

What is the term for the background in a message?

Accepted Answer

The term for the background in a message is referred to as the "ground". It is the visual element that appears behind the primary message or foreground.

Quiz 4: Comprehension, Memory, and Cognitive Learning