Elaboration Likelihood Model

Question 1

Elaboration

Answer 1

engaging in issue relevant thinking

Question 2

How can we assess elaboration?

Answer 2

Through the thought-listing process

1. You hear a persuasive message
2. You write down your thoughts in response to message
3. I count the number of issue relevant thoughts to calculate index of elaboration
4. I categorize issue relevant thoughts into ones that are positive and negative to see if your response to persuasive message was positive or negative

Question 3

What are the two different routes to persuasion?

Answer 3

1. Central routes- activated under high elaboration. If persuasion is achieved through central routes, it comes from elaboration.
2. Peripheral routes- activated under low elaboration. If persuasion is achieved through peripheral routes, it comes from heuristic principles.

Question 4

Heuristic principles

Answer 4

mental shortcut, used in peripheral routes when person is engaging in low elaboration and not focusing on substance of argument. Ex- instead, focusing on if persuader has credibility

Question 5

What two categories influence the amount of elaboration?

Answer 5

Elaboration motivation and Elaboration ability

Question 6

Elaboration motivation: definition, its two factors

Answer 6

• influence the amount of elaboration
• the willingness to engage in issue relevant thinking
• influenced by 2 factors
  1. Receiver involvement- how relevant the issue is to you, the more relevant the issue, the higher the elaboration motivation
  2. Receiver’s degree of need for cognition- how much the receiver enjoys thinking. Those with high degree of need for cognition enjoy thinking and will have higher elaboration motivation

Question 7

Elaboration ability: definition, its two factors

Answer 7

• influence the amount of elaboration
• the ability to engage in issue relevant thinking
• Influenced by 2 factors
  1. Distraction- the presence of a distracting task or stimulus. The more distractions, the less the ability to engage in elaboration.
  2. Prior knowledge about the persuasive topic. The more knowledge you have about the persuasive topic, the more likely you are to elaborate.

Question 8

What is the key determinant of persuasive outcomes in central route persuasion?

Answer 8

the key determinant is the evaluative direction of the receiver’s elaboration- whether or not the receiver responds with positive or negative thoughts to position advocated

Question 9

What are two factors that influence elaboration direction in central route persuasion?

Answer 9

1. If message advocates a pro attitudinal or counter-attitudinal position to receiver- whether position coincides with receiver’s beliefs. If message is pro-attitudinal (in agreement with held attitude), receiver will have favorable thoughts toward message.
2. Argument quality/strength- if argument has good reasoning and evidence, more likely to be persuaded. If argument has trivial reasoning and poor/ no evidence, less likely to be persuaded

Question 10

What is the key determinant of persuasive outcomes in peripheral route persuasion?

Answer 10

Heuristics- mental shortcuts. They are activated by peripheral cues, which are extrinsic aspects of the argument, like credibility of the persuader

Question 11

Peripheral cues

Answer 11

extrinsic aspects of an argument, like the credibility of the persuader. Under low elaboration, they activate heuristics

Question 12

What does CLC stand for?

Answer 12

• different types of heuristics used under low elaboration in peripheral- route persuasion
• credibility heuristic
• likability heuristic
• consensus heuristic

Question 13

Credibility heuristic

Answer 13

• “Experts can be trusted”
• based on perceived credibility/ expertise of communicator
• effect of credibility communicators are very high under conditions of low elaboration
• as elaboration becomes higher, less influenced by heuristics

Question 14

Likability heuristic

Answer 14

• based on receiver’s liking for communicator
• “People I like have correct opinions”
• this heuristic is going to be more effective under low elaboration

Question 15

Consensus heuristic

Answer 15

• “if other people believe it, it’s probably true:
• receiver more likely to be persuaded if they hear approving reactions from people around them
• consensus heuristic more effective under conditions of lower elaboration

Question 16

Elaboration is best under what circumstances?

Answer 16

• topic is personally relevant
• tendency to engage in and enjoy thinking
• prior knowledge about topic
• no distractions

Question 17

Does increasing elaboration always mean increasing persuasion?

Answer 17

No. You could be engaging in elaboration and find crummy arguments.

Question 18

How does distraction influence persuasive outcomes?

Answer 18

• distraction can enhance or reduce persuasive outcomes
• enhance persuasive outcomes: distracts you from you negative thoughts, so message is more persuasive
• reduce persuasive outcomes: distracts you from your positive thoughts, so you’re less persuaded

Question 19

Talk about the tradeoff between peripheral cues and elaboration direction.

Answer 19

• As elaboration increases, you’re less influenced by heuristics, and more influenced by strength of the argument and content of it
• As elaboration decreases, you’re more influenced by the different heuristics
• persuasion can be achieved under conditions of high or low elaboration, but what influences the persuasion is different because of the routes

Question 20

What are the differences between central route persuasion and peripheral route persuasion?

Answer 20

Central route is

1. More persistent overtime and less likely to decay
2. More resistant to counter persuasion- able to withstand counterarguments more
3. More related to your intentions and behaviors