Elaboration likelihood model

Central Route

A method of persuasion where someone is influenced by the message itself after fully processing its content in detail.

Peripheral Route

A method of persuasion where someone is influenced by external factors such as celebrities or design rather than the content of the message.

High Elaboration

A level of processing where the message content is assessed at the highest level, usually indicative of strong interest and motivation.

Low Elaboration

A level of processing where the evaluation of the message is minimal, often due to lack of interest, time, or ability.

Need for Cognition (NFC)

A personality trait describing individuals who are motivated to think deeply about issues and enjoy analyzing arguments.

What does the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) suggest about the way a message can persuade someone?

It suggests there are two routes: the central route and the peripheral route.

Influences on ELM processing

Factors that determine whether someone uses the central or peripheral route, including interest in the topic, relevance, presenter attractiveness, and need for cognition.

Strengths of ELM

Highly influential in persuasion research; contributes to understanding health message effectiveness.

Weaknesses of ELM

Limited to university students making the sample unrepresentative, and it doesn't explain how persuasion affects actual behavior.

Aim of ELM study

To understand if high engagement takes the central route and low engagement takes the peripheral route.

Findings related to personal involvement in ELM

When personal involvement was high, the quality of the message was the main persuasive factor.