medium · SAT Reading & Writing

Sociologist Dr. Kenji Wu investigated "consumer boycotts." He hypothesized that boycotts are most effective not when they cause a significant drop in sales, but when they generate negative media attention that threatens the brand's long-term reputation with investors. Which finding, if true, would most directly support Wu's hypothesis?

1. Companies targeted by boycotts often changed their policies even when their quarterly revenues remained completely unaffected.
2. Many consumers participate in boycotts because they want to align their spending with their personal values.
3. Boycotts that received extensive national news coverage succeeded at roughly the same rate as boycotts that went unreported.
4. Any boycott that generates negative media attention will force the targeted company to reverse its policy within a year.

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