Re-routing you now: Elaboration likelihood model explained
The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) states that there are two routes for processing information, leading to attitude changes: the central route and the peripheral route.
The central route is typically desired for major decisions, as it leads to lasting change in attitudes. The information is processed actively, and the individual evaluates it rationally. Here, the audience tends to have higher interest, be motivated and give more importance to the topic.
Conversely, the peripheral route tends to lead to temporary changes that may be forgotten and/or are easy to refute. Through this route, audiences are not as interested, are not as motivated and do not give as much importance to the topic. Rather than focusing on the message itself, the audience will center on more shallow aspects of the message such as the speaker, popularity of a brand, personal moods and other biases that cloud the logic behind the message and reduce the audience’s effort towards processing it.
Although the peripheral route may have positive effects on a topic or brand, the impact of the messaging is not as long-lasting and significant as that achieved through the central route. However, there are many decisions that are better suited through this route such as purchasing a product that does not necessarily require much logic in itself but can be made through the appeal of celebrity associations, aesthetics or emotional draw.
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This video does a wonderful job at describing the model and giving examples of how it applies to the real world.
When crafting persuasive appeals, understanding this theory can help address the audience to achieve persuasion. First, it is important to know what path we want people to take when processing our message, as it differs according to the message itself and its purpose. Even when aiming for the central route, we must also understand what may lead them to take the peripheral route.
The central route requires interest, motivation and prioritization of the subject. External factors may conflict with these and lead audiences away from the central route, which is why understanding the audience itself is crucial.
What is the audience interested in? What mindset are we seeking to catch the audience in? What are key motivators to this audience? How do we get and keep the attention of this audience group? Appealing to these factors helps the speaker curate the message to guide audiences down a central route of the ELM model.
Moreover, it is important to look at the peripheral factors influencing people’s judgment.
Who is the speaker? What is the setting? How are people reacting to the message? Is there anything that may distract the audience from the message itself?
Taking the ELM into consideration, one can adapt the messaging to appeal to the interests, priorities and motivations of the audiences. When it comes to logic, thoughtful thinking and rational decision-making, the central route is ideal. If the message appeals to emotion, desire and associations — celebrities, in-groups, superficial goals — one would likely opt for the peripheral route.
