Central Route

Definition

The central route is a type of information processing in the Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion. It involves the careful and thoughtful consideration of the merits and arguments presented in a persuasive message, leading to a more lasting attitude change.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The central route involves actively processing and evaluating the arguments and merits of a persuasive message.
2. Attitude changes via the central route tend to be more enduring and resistant to change compared to changes through the peripheral route.
3. Individuals are more likely to use the central route when they have both the motivation and the ability to carefully consider the message content.
4. The central route is associated with greater cognitive effort and elaboration, leading to a deeper understanding of the persuasive arguments.
5. Factors that can influence the use of the central route include personal relevance, need for cognition, and the quality of the persuasive arguments.

Review Questions

• Explain how the central route of the Elaboration Likelihood Model differs from the peripheral route in terms of the cognitive processing involved.
  • The central route involves careful and thoughtful consideration of the merits and arguments presented in a persuasive message, leading to a more lasting attitude change. This requires a higher level of motivation and ability to engage in effortful cognitive processing. In contrast, the peripheral route involves relying on simple cues or heuristics, rather than the substantive content of the message, resulting in a more temporary and less resistant attitude change.
• Describe the factors that influence an individual's likelihood of using the central route of persuasion.
  • The likelihood of using the central route is determined by the individual's motivation and ability to process the persuasive message. Factors that can increase motivation include personal relevance of the topic, need for cognition (the tendency to engage in and enjoy effortful thinking), and the perceived quality of the arguments presented. Additionally, an individual's ability to process the message, such as their level of expertise, available cognitive resources, and lack of distractions, can also influence the use of the central route.
• Analyze the long-term implications of attitude changes that occur through the central route versus the peripheral route of persuasion.
  • Attitude changes that occur through the central route, involving careful consideration of the message content, tend to be more enduring and resistant to change over time. This is because the individual has developed a deeper understanding and personal investment in the attitude, making it less susceptible to external influences or temporary factors. In contrast, attitude changes that occur through the peripheral route, relying on simple cues or heuristics, are often more temporary and vulnerable to change. These attitude changes are more likely to be influenced by situational factors or new information, as the individual has not engaged in the same level of cognitive elaboration and personal investment.

Related terms

Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM): A dual-process theory of persuasion that describes two different routes to attitude change: the central route and the peripheral route.

Peripheral Route: A type of information processing in the Elaboration Likelihood Model where attitude change occurs through simple cues or heuristics, rather than careful consideration of the message content.

Motivation and Ability: Factors that determine whether a person will engage in the central route or the peripheral route of information processing in the Elaboration Likelihood Model.