Question 1

Which of the following would result in cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

This scenario presents a conflict between the belief that smoking is bad for health and the behavior of smoking, which is enjoyable. The conflicting thoughts would result in cognitive dissonance.

Answer: D 
 This scenario presents a conflict between the belief that profanity is childish and the behavior of the father using profanity. The conflicting thoughts would result in cognitive dissonance.

Therefore, the choices are A and D.

Question 2

Which of the following was a finding in the classic study by Festinger and Carlsmith (1959)?

Accepted Answer

The study found that participants paid $1 rated the task as more enjoyable than those paid $20, due to cognitive dissonance. They had to justify the effort for less money by altering their perception of the task.

Question 3

If the president says, "Everything in the war is going as planned. Trust me, I am the president," he is using what form of the elaboration likelihood model?

Accepted Answer

The statement is attempting to persuade through the use of the speaker's authority as president, rather than appealing to the audience's careful evaluation of the evidence and arguments. This suggests peripheral-route processing is being used.

Question 4

A state of tension that occurs when a person's attitudes do not match the person's actions is called ________.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological term that describes the mental discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs or values or who experiences conflict between their beliefs/values and their actions/behavior.

Question 5

Which of the following would result in cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

The statement that pink shirts are considered feminine contradicts the fact that Bruce Willis, a traditionally masculine action movie star, wears pink shirts. This creates cognitive dissonance for those who hold the belief that pink is strictly a feminine color.

Question 6

In Festinger and Carlsmith's (1959) classic study on cognitive dissonance, participants who were paid $20 for doing a boring task, in contrast to those who were paid $1 for doing the same task, ________.

Accepted Answer

Festinger and Carlsmith found that participants who were paid $1 for doing the boring task experienced cognitive dissonance because their behavior (doing the task) did not align with their attitude (the task was boring and not enjoyable). To reduce this dissonance, they convinced themselves that the task was actually interesting and enjoyable. In contrast, participants who were paid $20 did not experience dissonance because the large amount of money served as a sufficient external justification for their behavior, and they did not need to convince themselves that the task was enjoyable. Therefore, those who were paid $1 ended up liking the task more (to reduce dissonance), while those who were paid $20 did not experience this shift in attitude and may have even disliked the task more than the $1 group.

Question 7

What is the relationship between expertise and persuasion?

Accepted Answer

Greater expertise leads to greater persuasion as experts are perceived as more credible and trustworthy. Their opinions are thought to be based on more comprehensive knowledge and experience, which increases the likelihood that other people will be persuaded by their arguments.

Question 8

The advice to "keep it simple, stupid" suggests that political and other messages should be simple so that the audience will understand the content without distractions. This is an example of which type of processing suggested by the elaboration likelihood model?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The advice to "keep it simple, stupid"...

Question 9

Cirillo divided her first-period class into two groups. One group had to read 20 pages in a boring psychology text, but would get 2 extra points on the next test. The other group also read 20 pages but were given 25 points added to the next test. The class members were then asked to tell the second-period class how interesting the book was. According to the results of the Festinger and Carlsmith study, what predictions could one make about the remarks of the first-period class?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Cirillo divided her first-period class into two...

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a conflict between our beliefs and actions. In this case, the individual believes that reality TV is for morons but still watches American Idol, which is a reality TV show. This discrepancy between belief and action creates cognitive dissonance.

Question 11

Which of the following is the correct definition of cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance refers to the mental discomfort or tension that arises when a person's behavior is inconsistent with their attitudes or beliefs. It occurs when a person holds two conflicting beliefs or values and experiences psychological discomfort as a result. Option A accurately describes this phenomenon. Options B, C, and D describe different concepts such as diffusion of responsibility, groupthink, and the illusory truth effect, respectively.

Question 12

Which one of the following activities will NOT reduce cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Continuing the behavior in spite of the conflicting thoughts will not reduce cognitive dissonance as it maintains the inconsistency between the belief and behavior. The other options - changing behavior, changing thought to justify behavior and developing new thoughts to justify behavior- will reduce cognitive dissonance by creating consistency between beliefs and behavior.

Question 13

A local car insurance company advertises their products with television commercials. During those spots, there are flashy lights, attractive dancers wearing skin-tight outfits, and local celebrities talking about how they have that company's insurance. The advertisement does not, however, mention any of the features, benefits, or costs associated with the product. This company is attempting to earn customers through which path of processing?

Accepted Answer

The advertisement is relying on peripheral cues such as flashy lights, attractive dancers, and local celebrities to grab attention and create a positive impression of the brand. This suggests that the company is trying to earn customers through the peripheral route of processing, which involves making judgments based on heuristics and superficial cues rather than carefully evaluating the qualities of the product itself.

Question 14

You've always disliked a particular coworker who strikes you as dishonest, but he is nice to you and does you favors, so you become friendly with him despite your misgivings. One day you learn that he stole personal items from your desk. You now decide to discontinue the friendship. Your negative attitude toward this coworker is strengthened through ________.

Accepted Answer

Reduction of cognitive dissonance occurs when you change your attitude or behavior to reduce the discomfort of holding conflicting beliefs, such as disliking someone but being friendly with them. Discovering the theft aligns with your initial negative belief, reducing dissonance.

Question 15

Expertise, attractiveness, and trustworthiness all relate to which factor of persuasion?

Accepted Answer

Expertise, attractiveness, and trustworthiness are all characteristics of the source of communication, which is factor C in the process of persuasion. The other factors are the message, audience, and channel.

Question 16

Luis picks up a pack of cigarettes and reads, "Cigarette smoking is harmful to your health." Which one of the following statements leads one to believe Luis is actually having cognitive dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Option C shows cognitive dissonance because Luis is aware of the harm caused by smoking but cannot bring himself to quit, indicating that he is experiencing a conflict between his beliefs and actions.

Question 17

Which of the following statements about persuasion is CORRECT?

Accepted Answer

The statement that people who are perceived as trustworthy are more persuasive is correct. This is evidenced by numerous studies that have found that people are more likely to comply with requests or follow advice from sources they perceive as credible and trustworthy. A and C are incorrect statements, as fast speakers can actually be more persuasive in certain situations, and people with lower self-esteem are typically more susceptible to persuasion. B is also incorrect, as arousal of strong emotions can still be persuasive even if the message includes specific advice.

Question 18

Which of the following qualities would make members of a target audience easier to persuade?

Accepted Answer

Younger members have been shown to be easier to persuade because they are more open to new ideas and less set in their ways. They are also more susceptible to peer pressure and social influence. Education level and expertise in the field may make individuals more resistant to persuasion as they may be more confident in their current beliefs and less likely to change them. Age alone is not a determining factor in susceptibility to persuasion.

Question 19

The "World-Will-End-on-June-7" group got together on June 7 to pray as the world ended. The next day, the world had not ended. The leader of the group said, "Our prayers saved the world." What process was responsible for the attitude change?

Accepted Answer

The leader's statement suggests that they experienced cognitive dissonance - the discomfort caused by holding contradictory beliefs or actions. They had believed that the world would end on June 7, but when it didn't, that belief was contradicted by reality. To reduce this discomfort, they changed their belief to say that their prayers had saved the world, thus resolving the dissonance. This is an example of cognitive dissonance theory.

Question 20

Central route is to peripheral route as ________.

Accepted Answer

The central route of persuasion involves careful and thoughtful consideration of the arguments presented, similar to being careful in one's approach. The peripheral route involves superficial and less thoughtful consideration of non-central cues, similar to being less careful. Therefore, choice A (careful is to superficial) provides the best analogy to the relationship between central and peripheral routes.

Quiz 12: Social Psychology

Which of the following would result in cognitive dissonance?

Which of the following was a finding in the classic study by Festinger and Carlsmith (1959) ?

If the president says, "Everything in the war is going as planned. Trust me, I am the president," he is using what form of the elaboration likelihood model?

A state of tension that occurs when a person's attitudes do not match the person's actions is called ________.

Which of the following would result in cognitive dissonance?

In Festinger and Carlsmith's (1959) classic study on cognitive dissonance, participants who were paid $20 for doing a boring task, in contrast to those who were paid $1 for doing the same task, ________.

What is the relationship between expertise and persuasion?

The advice to "keep it simple, stupid" suggests that political and other messages should be simple so that the audience will understand the content without distractions. This is an example of which type of processing suggested by the elaboration likelihood model?

Which of the following is an example of cognitive dissonance?

Which of the following is the correct definition of cognitive dissonance?

Which one of the following activities will NOT reduce cognitive dissonance?

Expertise, attractiveness, and trustworthiness all relate to which factor of persuasion?

Luis picks up a pack of cigarettes and reads, "Cigarette smoking is harmful to your health." Which one of the following statements leads one to believe Luis is actually having cognitive dissonance?

Which of the following statements about persuasion is CORRECT?

Which of the following qualities would make members of a target audience easier to persuade?

The "World-Will-End-on-June-7" group got together on June 7 to pray as the world ended. The next day, the world had not ended. The leader of the group said, "Our prayers saved the world." What process was responsible for the attitude change?

Central route is to peripheral route as ________.