Chapter 15: Elaboration Likelihood Model

The Elaboration Likelihood Model deals with how people react to persuasive messages. According to the theory, people can react to persuasive messages in one of two ways, and the way they react affects what kind of change might occur in them. The first of these ways, known as the "central route", focuses on the content of the message. In the central route, a person examines the content of the message and carefully thinks about whatever issue it concerns. The second way a person can react to a persuasive message is to focus on aspects of the speaker moreso than the message itself. People using this method, called the "peripheral route", may focus more on the attitude, credibility, or likability of the speaker as opposed to the message itself. People use this method as a "shortcut" in order to think about a message without actually examining its contents.

Examples of this theory at work can be seen in the field of politics. A great deal of political advertising is used to present a good image of a particular candidate using graphics, music, and certain kinds of emotional appeals. These are examples of the peripheral route; the ads focus more on the person than on the message in the hopes that people using the peripheral route will vote in favor of the candidate in the ad.