Chapter 8: Group and Interpersonal Influence
TRUE/FALSE
1. A reference group is a group of individuals who have an impact on the consumer’s evaluations,
aspirations, and behavior.
2. Group influence refers to the ways in which group members influence attitudes, opinions, and
behaviors of others within the group.
3. Gaining acceptance into a group provides value for a consumer directly by satisfying his or her needs
for belonging.
4. Primary reference groups generally have the least influence on their members compared to other
groups.
5. The International Bartenders Association is an example of a primary reference group.
6. The family unit is an example of a secondary reference group.
7. In general, personal connections originating in brand communities lead to negative outcomes for
consumers and companies.
8. Brandfests are extravagant events that bring together a variety of brands under one roof to discuss
marketing strategies.
9. Natalie regularly goes for treks with her college friends. This group of trekkers is an example of a
formal group.
10. The Society for Astronauts, a club with strict membership guidelines and official initiation ceremony,
is an example of an informal group.
11. A consumer’s desire to be a member of an aspirational group is motivated by the need to assert the
consumer’s actual self.
12. Consumers avoid emulating members of aspirational groups as it tends to decrease their chances of
membership into such groups.
13. Jane is a tomboy and aspires to become a mechanic. She wants nothing to do with her friends’ Fashion
Club. Jane considers this club to be an aspirational group.
14. John dreams of gaining permanent membership in the Society for Scientists so that he will never be
dissociated from any of the Society’s activities. This is an example of a dissociative group.
15. Peer pressure experiences are restricted to the childhood and adolescent phases of a consumer’s life.
16. With peer pressure, there is usually some type of sanction that is threatened if the consumer does not
go along with the group.
17. Social power refers to the ability of an individual to rebel against the collective rule of a group or
society at large.
18. Legitimate power is associated with authority.
19. The motivation of the group members to perform the desired behavior is overtly strong even if the
reward for it isn’t valued by the group members.
20. Members must have a desire to establish membership into a group in order for the power base to be
effective.
21. The informational influence of a group is particularly strong if the group is seen as being credible.
22. Utilitarian influence of groups is limited to the younger age group or demographic profile.
23. Reference group influence on product selection tends to be weak for “public” products.
24. The extent to which the product is considered to be a necessity or a luxury affects the level of
reference group influence.
25. Social networks are networks of consumers that are formed based on common interests, associations,
or goals.
26. Social Buying refers to consumer buying behavior that takes place on social networking sites.
27. Social couponing refers to a type of buying where consumers receive a coupon by joining a special
social networking website.
28. Rex always wears high-end brands to work but he is not concerned about the brands he wears at home.
Rex is most likely to have a low score on the susceptibility to interpersonal influence scale.
29. Consumers scoring high on the attention to social comparison information (ATSCI) trait are generally
not concerned about how other people react to their behavior.
30. Advertising themes in a collectivist culture tend to emphasize separate themes.
31. In general, consumers tend to believe advertisements and explicit marketing messages from companies
more than they believe other consumers.
32. Consumers are less likely to spread word-of-mouth when a product is particularly relevant to their own
self-concept and when they are highly involved with the product category.
33. Positive word-of-mouth generally has a more widespread influence than negative word-of-mouth.
34. Anti-brand communities are communities in which members spread negative information about
companies and products to other users.
35. Opinion leaders are also known as market mavens.
36. All consumers tend to adopt new products at similar rates.
37. A product life cycle is a description of the life of a product from the time an early adopter buys it to
the time when a laggard perceives a need to buy it.
38. Early adopter consumers are generally young and well-educated.
39. Late majority consumers and laggards, tend to be more cautious about buying new products.
40. Consumer doppelganger effect is illustrated when mothers tend to mimic their daughters’ identities
through clothing and fashion choice.
41. In collectivist cultures, more focus is placed on the nuclear family.
42. Census data revelations indicate that the largest portion of American consumers now live in
nonfamilies.
43. The traditional household life cycle segments families into groups based on the number of dependent
children and their consumption capacities.
44. Boomerang kids refer to consumers who switch brand loyalties frequently.
45. Boomerang kids assert the traditional HLC.
46. The sandwich generation refers to consumers who experience brand fatigue resulting from excessive
exposure to marketing messages.
47. The person in the household who recognizes a need and provides information about a potential
purchase to others is assuming the role of a decision maker.
48. The gatekeeper is the person who controls information flow into the household.
49. Families with a traditional sex role orientation believe in a democratic approach to making purchase
decisions.
50. Consumer socialization is the process through which young consumers develop attitudes and learn
skills that help them function in the marketplace.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The ways in which group members have an impact on the attitudes, opinions, and behaviors of others
within the group is known as group _____.
a.
diffusion
b.
stratification
c.
stigmatization
d.
couponing
e.
influence
2. Stacy had signed up her daughters for Brownie Girl Scouts few months back. Since then, she had
noticed a positive attitudinal change in them. They are now much more disciplined and responsible.
According to Stacy, this change has been brought about by the Girl Scouts group. The change in
Stacy’s daughters can be attributed to _____.
a.
group influence
b.
social couponing
c.
group polarization
d.
social stratification
e.
social loafing
3. A group that includes members who have frequent, direct contact with one another is known as a(n)
_____.
a.
focus group
b.
primary group
c.
secondary group
d.
task group
e.
outgroup
4. When Sylvia completed high school and started applying to various colleges, she kept Michigan State
University at the top of her priority list as her parents wanted her to attend college there. This scenario
illustrates the influence of a(n) _____ on Sylvia’s choice.
a.
focus group
b.
tertiary group
c.
outgroup
d.
primary group
e.
secondary group
5. The measure of the strength of connection between members in a group is known as social _____.
a.
tie
b.
flow
c.
graph
d.
exchange
e.
contract
6. Members of The Harley Owners Group come together for members-only rides and other events. This
is an example of a(n) _____ community.
a.
ethnic
b.
brand
c.
contractual
d.
geographic
e.
professional
7. A brand community is an example of a(n) _____.
a.
primary group
b.
secondary group
c.
task group
d.
action group
e.
outgroup
8. Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE) is a professional marketing fraternity that has an official initiation ceremony
for all its new members. The national association has a Chapter Efficiency Index outlining the
activities the chapter members are expected to do. PSE is an example of a(n) _____ group.
a.
primary
b.
task
c.
transitory
d.
focus
e.
formal
9. A(n) _____ group refers to a group that has no membership or application requirements, and codes of
conduct may be nonexistent.
a.
informal
b.
professional
c.
legitimate
d.
structured
e.
dissociative
10. Kelly goes for a walk every morning in the park near her apartment. She is acquainted with the other
people who also walk in the park at the same time. She greets them whenever they meet and
sometimes goes for an impromptu breakfast with them. This group is an example of a(n) _____ group.
a.
professional
b.
coercive
c.
informal
d.
utilitarian
e.
dissociative
11. A group in which a consumer desires to become a member is called a(n) _____ group.
a.
abstained
b.
tangential
c.
aspirational
d.
dissociative
e.
evading
12. Richard, a tennis player, has dreams of winning all four Grand Slam titles so that he can be a member
of the exclusive club of players with a Career Grand Slam. This is an example of a(n) _____ group.
a.
primary
b.
aspirational
c.
associative
d.
dissociative
e.
informal
13. Aspirational group membership often appeals to the consumer’s _____ self.
a.
actual
b.
social
c.
extended
d.
real
e.
ideal
14. Andy has always wanted to be a part of the college football team for as long as he can remember. He
attends all the trials and works hard to maintain his athletic fitness. Being a part of the team appeals to
Andy’s _____ self.
a.
actual
b.
extended
c.
ideal
d.
social
e.
real
15. A group to which a consumer does not want to belong is called a(n) _____ group.
a.
primary
b.
tangential
c.
dissociative
d.
aspirational
e.
reference
16. Derrick has always been an animal lover. He neither wants to be part of any meat-lovers club nor
wants any form of association with groups that have a history of cruelty toward animals. In this
scenario, Derrick associates such clubs as _____ groups.
a.
tangential
b.
aspirational
c.
primary
d.
dissociative
e.
reference
17. Which of the following occurs when an individual yields to the attitudes and behaviors of other
consumers?
a.
Conformity
b.
Reliability
c.
Credibility
d.
Validity
e.
Accountability
18. The pressure an individual feels to behave in accordance with group expectations is known as _____
pressure.
a.
intrinsic
b.
persuasive
c.
consensual
d.
nominal
e.
peer
19. Which of the following types of social power motivates consumers to imitate the behaviors and
attitudes of the group as a means of identifying with the group?
a.
Referent power
b.
Legitimate power
c.
Coercive power
d.
Reward power
e.
Expert power
20. The Seminal Ballet Dancers is a group consisting of aspiring dancers. New members often mirror the
attitudes and behavior of other members as doing so makes them fit in with the group. Which of the
following types of social power is being illustrated in this scenario?
a.
Referent power
b.
Legitimate power
c.
Expert power
d.
Reward power
e.
Coercive power
21. Which of the following types of social power gives an individual authority to sanction members or
revoke membership of those who do not conform to group rules?
a.
Referent power
b.
Expert power
c.
Value-expressive power
d.
Persuasive power
e.
Legitimate power
22. Harold is the president of a local tennis club. Under Harold’s insistence, the club members have to
devote a requisite amount of time to practice as well as stick to a strict uniform code. Any form of
nonconformity with rules is met with punishment. Which of the following types of social power does
Harold exercise over the members of the club?
a.
Referent power
b.
Legitimate power
c.
Expert power
d.
Reward power
e.
Evasive power
23. The ability of a group or individual to influence a consumer due to the group’s or individual’s
knowledge of, or experience with, a specific subject matter is known as _____ power.
a.
referent
b.
legitimate
c.
expert
d.
reward
e.
coercive
24. The American Heart Association (AHA) is an organization that promotes cardiac care. It organizes
various awareness programs for the public on ways to prevent cardiac ailments. Which of the
following types of social power does AHA have in the domain of cardiac care?
a.
Referent power
b.
Legitimate power
c.
Expert power
d.
Reward power
e.
Coercive power
25. Every year The Sprinters’ Club, a group for athletes, declares one of its members as the “most
outstanding athlete of the year.” The title is based solely on performance, and all members vie for it.
The power of the club to bestow this title to one of its members is an example of _____ power.
a.
referent
b.
legitimate
c.
expert
d.
reward
e.
coercive
26. Which of the following types of social power is based on a group’s power to sanction group members
for breaking rules or failing to follow expectations?
a.
Reward power
b.
Expert power
c.
Coercive power
d.
Referent power
e.
Associative power
27. Traffic Followers, a group promoting road safety, has a strict code of sanctioning members found
flouting traffic rules. In some cases, nonconformity can result in expulsion from the group. This is an
example of a group exercising _____ power over its members.
a.
referent
b.
expert
c.
reward
d.
coercive
e.
abusive
28. Sarah is a member of a book club. The members meet every Saturday for book reading sessions. All
the members except Sarah, drink Coke as they read. During one such session, Sarah was offered a
bottle of Coke by a member. Instead of refusing, she gladly accepted it and enjoyed the drink. Which
type of reference group influence is most likely to account for Sarah’s consumption of coke?