Petty and Cacioppo’s elaboration probability model.

An explanatory model that reflects how persuasion works in discussions, marketing, etc.

Persuasion is the ability that some people have to transmit ideas, and that these are ultimately shared, accepted and disseminated by the receiver of the message.

Thus, persuasion implies the ability to convince others, and is a tool used especially in the field of advertising, sales and marketing.

The Elaboration Likelihood Model was created by Petty and Cacioppo (1983,1986) and deals with the subject of persuasion, within social and organizational psychology. It tries to explain how people are persuaded, and in what way. Let's see what it consists of.

Model of the probability of elaboration: characteristics

The elaboration probability model was a milestone in persuasion studies, as it integrated previous attitude models. Its aim was to create a model that brought together the contributions of previous persuasive theories..

The theories that the elaboration probability model brings together are: Yale's communication theory based on the sequence: source, message, channel and receiver, McGuire's theory (1968), the contributions of implication (Krugman, 1966), the theory of social judgment (Sherif et al., 1981), the heuristic model (Chaiken, 1980) and, to a lesser degree, the models of expectancy by value (Ajzen, 1975).

It was in the 1980s (in the decade of its inception) that the elaboration probability model was empirically demonstrated. This was done from the study of advertisements, which were used as experimental stimuli..

Although 30 years have passed since the model appeared, it is still being applied today for different research purposes, such as the study of persuasion on the Internet.

Components: aspects of persuasion

There are four central ideas or components in Petty and Cacioppo's elaboration probability model.

1. Continuum

People's attitudes or other judgments can be modified to varying degreesthrough a continuum of elaboration, ranging from "low" to "high". That is, you can modify their beliefs either mildly or strongly, including the points in between.

2. Specific processes of change

Along this continuum various specific processes of change can occur.

For example, classical conditioning or simple exposure (mere exposure effect) occurs, when the required thinking is low or poorly elaborated.. These processes will be at the low end of the continuum.

In contrast, patterns of cognitive response and expectation by value occur when a high degree of thinking is required (more complex thinking, requiring greater cognitive effort). These will be at the high end of the continuum.

2.1. Pathways

At the brain levelAt the brain level, two types of pathways exist and are used: peripheral and central.

2.1.1. Peripheral route

A peripheral route is followed when the processes involved are at a low level of the continuum. This route focuses on peripheral aspects of the messagei.e., less important aspects, details, etc.

The fact of following a peripheral route implies little involvement on the part of the receiver, less mental effort and short-term changes in their attitudes..

2.1.2. Central route

In contrast, a central route is followed when the processes involved are at a high level of the continuum.

This route implies greater involvement and mental effort on the part of the receiver, who focuses on more central and elaborated aspects of the message, as well as on the part of the receiver, who focuses on more central and elaborated aspects of the message, as well as lasting changes in his or her attitudes (in the long term).

2.1.3. Complementarity of the routes

The fact of finally persuading the receiver is determined by a mixture of the two processes; that is, there is no separation or dichotomyRather, the two processes complement each other depending on the characteristics of the message and other variables.

3. Consequences of judgment

The outcome of the processing levels (whether they are high or low), will determine the consequences of the receiver's judgment. That is, if the judgment is based on thinking about the merits (the merits of what the sender wants to persuade us about), there is a greater chance that such a judgment will persist over time, better resist attempts to change it and generate consequences for other judgments and behaviors.

The elaboration probability model, according to the variables that may affect the receiver's attitude, organizes several specific processes.

For example, the attractiveness of the source or the emotion felt will influence the amount of thought a person has, placing it on the a person has, placing him or her at a point on the continuum further up or further down the continuum.

However, if circumstances have already placed the person previously at the low level, the variables may serve as simple cues, affecting attitudes in a direction that is consistent with their valence.

Conversely, if the person is at the high level of the continuum, there are three other ways in which the variable can affect judgments:

• By argument or evidenceThrough argument or evidence; e.g., attractiveness or felt emotion; or
• By affecting the valence of thoughts that come to mind, e.g., more positive thoughts,
• Affecting structural factors of the thoughts generated; e.g., having more confidence toward one's own thoughts.

Model variables

There are several variables in the model of the probability of elaborationwhich determine how the message will be processed and whether persuasion will ultimately occur:

• Processing Motivation / Informational Need.
• Processing ability.
• Depth of thought elaboration.
• Positivity of cognitive response.

Bibliographical references:

• Petty, R. and Cacioppo, J. (1983). Central and peripheral routes to persuasion. application to advertising. In: Percy, L. and Woodside, A. (eds). Advertising and consumer psychology. Lexington Books, Mass.
• Stiff, J. (1985). Cognitive Processing of Persuasive Message Cues. A Meta Analytic Review of the Effects of Supporting Information on Attitudes. Michigan: Michigan State University.
• Hogg, M. (2010). Social Psychology. VAUGHAN GRAHAM M. PANAMERICANA, Publisher: PANAMERICANA.
• León, J.J. (2014). Validity and extensions of the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). For a persuasive field theory in advertising. adComunica. Journal of Strategies, Trends and Innovation in Communication, 8.