In a 1981 study by Petty, Cacioppo, and Goldman, students listened to a speech that supported the idea that seniors should have to pass a comprehensive exam before graduating

Some students (group A) were told that comprehensive exams might be implemented at their school the following year. Others (group B) were told that the exams wouldn't be implemented until well after they had graduated. Based on the theories of controlled and automatic responding, what would we expect each group of students to focus on?

(a) Group A would be persuaded primarily by the expertise of the speaker, while group B would be persuaded primarily by the quality of the speaker's arguments.
(b) Group A would be persuaded primarily by the quality of the speaker's arguments, while group B would be persuaded primarily by the expertise of the speaker.
(c) Both groups A and B would be persuaded primarily by the expertise of the speaker.
(d) Both groups A and B would be persuaded primarily by the quality of the speaker's arguments.

ANSWER: B