C1 (Theories Of Persuasion): Elaboration Likelihood Model

Question 1

Overview of the Elaboration-Likelihood Model (ELM)

Answer 1

Proposed By: Petty & Cacioppo (1986).
Core Idea: Persuasive messages are processed through two routes: central and peripheral.
Attitude Change: Depends on the degree of elaboration (thought process) of the message.

Question 2

The Central Route to Persuasion

Answer 2

Conditions: Requires both motivation and ability to think about the message.

             Characteristics of Message
            - Messages must be credible and persuasive.
             - Recipients must care about and understand the message.
              - Central route is most effective when messages are relevant to the recipient.
              - Arguments need to be strong, clear, and convincing.

Outcome: Leads to long-lasting attitude changes with higher-level elaboration.

Question 3

The Peripheral Route to Persuasion

Answer 3

Conditions: Used when individuals cannot fully concentrate due to distractions or low motivation. Or lower cognition.

              Characteristics of Messages
                   - Relies on peripheral cues such as attractiveness or credibility of the source.
                    - Recipients may not deeply think about the message content.
                    - Often used when people are uninterested or distracted.

Outcome: Changes are more temporary and based on superficial cues.

Question 4

Factors of Influence

Answer 4

Personal Relevance:
High relevance increases likelihood of processing through the central route.
Example: If reducing sugar in your diet is important to you, you’ll process messages about it carefully.

Time and Attention:
When short on time or distracted, peripheral route is more likely.
Example: Skipping detailed news but noticing the celebrity who shared it.

Role of Celebrity:
Celebrities can enhance persuasion through both routes.
Central Route: If the celebrity presents logical arguments.
Peripheral Route: If the focus is on the celebrity’s attractiveness or likability.

Question 5

Individual Differences in Influence

Answer 5

Need for Cognition (NFC):
- High NFC individuals prefer deep thinking and will likely use the central route.
- Low NFC individuals may rely on peripheral cues due to less interest in detailed processing.

Implication: Persuasion strategy should consider individual differences in cognitive preferences.

Question 6

Evaluation - Effectiveness for Behavior Change

Answer 6

Strength: ELM explains both persuasion and behavior change.

Central Route:
Leads to more stable and long-term attitude changes.
Better predictor of actual behavior change.

Peripheral Route:
Can change attitudes, but less likely to lead to behavior change.

Conclusion: ELM helps explain why some persuasive messages lead to behavior change and others do not.

Question 7

Evaluation - Lack of Generalizability

Answer 7

Weakness:
- ELM studies often use university students, limiting generalizability.
- Students may have better cognitive abilities compared to the general population.

Research Example:
Some studies find no difference in persuasion likelihood based on elaboration level (e.g., Tzi et al., 2007).

Conclusion: ELM’s applicability to the wider population is uncertain due to the specific nature of study samples.