Elaboration Likelihood Model

The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) is a psychological theory that explains how people process persuasive messages and make decisions. This model was developed by Richard E. Petty and John T. Cacioppo in the 1980s and has since become one of the most widely used and influential theories of persuasion in social psychology.

The ELM proposes that there are two routes to persuasion: the central route and the peripheral route. The central route involves a high level of cognitive processing, where people carefully evaluate the arguments presented to them and engage in deep thinking. In contrast, the peripheral route involves a low level of cognitive processing, where people are influenced by cues that are not directly related to the arguments, such as the speaker's attractiveness or the emotional appeal of the message.

According to the ELM, the route people take to persuasion depends on their level of motivation and ability to process information. When people are highly motivated and have the ability to think deeply about the message, they are more likely to take the central route. On the other hand, when people are not motivated or lack the ability to think deeply, they are more likely to take the peripheral route.

One of the strengths of the ELM is its ability to explain the complex cognitive processes that underlie persuasion. By distinguishing between the central and peripheral routes, the ELM provides a framework for understanding how people make decisions based on different types of information. Additionally, the ELM has been supported by numerous empirical studies, which have found that people are more likely to be persuaded by arguments that are relevant to their interests and that they have the ability to process.

However, the ELM has also been criticized for being overly simplistic and for neglecting the role of emotion in persuasion. While the ELM acknowledges that emotional appeals can influence persuasion through the peripheral route, it does not fully account for the powerful role that emotions can play in decision-making. Furthermore, the ELM assumes that people are rational and logical thinkers, which may not always be the case in real-world situations.