CMN 112 Final Exam - UCD Winter 2026 w/Zhang

A collection of flashcards based on the CMN 112 lecture notes, covering key concepts related to communication, persuasion, and the psychology behind effective messaging.

Communicator Characteristics

Authority, Credibility, Social Attractiveness.

Authority

Influencing others through compliance, fear of punishment, or gaining a reward.

Credibility

Perceived quality of the communicator; assessed through trustworthiness, expertise, and goodwill.

Social Attractiveness

Influencing others through attraction and empathy.

Expertise

Knowledge or ability that is ascribed to the communicator.

Trustworthiness

Perceived honesty, character, and safety of the communicator.

Goodwill

Perception that the speaker has the audience's best interests in mind.

Legitimacy

The right and acceptance of an authority; often constructed through media representation.

Milgram's Experiment

A study demonstrating people's willingness to follow authority, even to the point of causing harm to others.

Stanford Prison Experiment

A study showing how situational power and social roles can lead to abusive behavior.

McCroskey's Definition of Credibility

The attitude toward a source of communication held at a given time by a receiver.

Ethos

A component of speech influencing credibility and trust.

Logos

Logical appeal or reasoning in communication.

Pathos

Emotional appeal in communication.

Narrative Persuasion

Persuasive arguments constructed and delivered via a narrative framework.

Cognitive Dissonance

A psychological state of inconsistency among beliefs that may motivate attitude change.

Hypocrisy Induction

A persuasive strategy that confronts individuals with their own inconsistencies to encourage behavior change.

Fear Control Route

A response to fear that focuses on anxiety rather than taking action.

Danger Control Route

A response to fear that leads to action and mitigation of threats.

Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM)

A theory explaining how people respond to fear appeals based on perceived threat and efficacy.

Misinformation

False or misleading information shared unintentionally.

Disinformation

Deliberate misinformation intended to mislead.

Two-Sided Refutational Messages

Messages that present opposing sides while favoring one and revealing flaws in opposing arguments.

Social Marketing Campaigns

Campaigns that use marketing techniques for social good to influence behavior.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

A theory that categorizes human needs from basic physiological needs to self-actualization.

Monroe's Motivated Sequence

A five-step process for organizing persuasive speeches to maintain audience motivation.

Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

A model describing two routes to persuasion: central and peripheral.

AMIE (Activation Model of Information Exposure)

A model that stresses the importance of stimulating and informative content for effective persuasion.