Investment Management Certificate (IMC) Practice Exam

What has occurred when a receiver adopts an endorser's stance on an issue as their own?

1. Externalization

2. Identification

3. Internalization

4. Normalization

The correct answer is: Internalization

When a receiver adopts an endorser's stance on an issue as their own, this reflects the process of internalization. Internalization occurs when an individual not only accepts the perspective presented but also integrates it into their own belief system. This is deeper than merely agreeing with the endorser; the receiver genuinely internalizes and makes the endorser's views part of their own values and attitudes. In the context of persuasion and influence, this is significant because internalization often leads to longer-lasting attitude change compared to mere compliance or identification. The individual feels a personal connection to the idea or stance rather than just superficially adopting it due to social pressure or to enhance their self-image in relation to the endorser. Other concepts, such as externalization, identification, and normalization, represent different processes of engagement with ideas or attitudes but do not capture the depth of internal change that internalization entails. Externalization typically refers to expressing inner beliefs outwardly, while identification involves aligning oneself with another individual or group without fully adopting their beliefs. Normalization deals with the process of making something standard or typical within a group, which again does not imply the deep personal integration of beliefs that comes with internalization.