Processing persuasive messages.
As an aspiring media practitioner, it is crucial to learn and understand how to craft and utilize various forms of persuasive writing. Which led me to ask, what happens during the message-processing part of the persuasion process?
Researches have been studying the reasons why others can persuade us with their requests, ideas or messages. A model used to explain how attitude change occurs is the elaboration likelihood model, developed by Petty and Cacioppo (1986). The elaboration likelihood model (ELM) states that there are two routes for processing information, which can lead to a change in attitude or behavior.
The first is the central route, where the information is actively processed, and the individual evaluates it in a rational manner. Then there is the peripheral route, where the receiver does not actively process the information in a cognitive sense, and instead focuses on the style of the message, the credibility of the source, their own mood etc. (Perry, 1996, p. 115).
This fantastic video created by Brooke Miller from Khan Academy does a great job at explaining the entire process.
Great! We learned a theory. How is this even practical for an aspiring media practitioner?
What is proposed is that we provide strong statements with substance if we want to appeal to the central route, in contrast we could utilize positive characteristics such as emotions and celebrity endorsements if we want to appeal to the peripheral route or maybe use both!
When constructing a message it is helpful to know the level of elaboration that the audience can have. If they are motivated to scrutinize the information and carefully listen to the message. On the other hand, if they would process everything in a more superficial manner.
After estimating the target audience’s elaboration level, we can then build into a persuasive message choosing whether they will serve as strong arguments, simple cues, or both. All while keeping in mind what the goal of the message is. Whether our intention is to produce an immediate or lasting change in attitude.
We continue to utilize ELM in a variety of ways such as thought pieces, political speeches, personal opinions, newspaper editorials, songs and poems. Although it can be best identified in the marketing arena with advertisements of products endorsed by celebrities to appeal to the peripheral route or by focusing on the details of the product and its superiority among its competitors.
