1. Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion
A HEALTH COMMUNICATION MESSAGING MODEL
- Swathi Sridhar

2. Outline: Health communication through persuasion
Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
Key Features of ELM model
Example for each routes of information processing
Two video activity
What is health communication messaging and the main characteristics of messages from listener’s evaluation?
ELM model, touch base on the history and focus largely at the Components of ELM, 4 core tenets of ELM and define variables.
Two examples of one for each route and
Finally, I will compare the factors of TTI that are focused on health persuasion and two video activity depending on the time available.

3. Health Communication:
Short powerful message → Efficient format
Messaging characteristics
Message characteristics
Source Characteristics
Target characteristics
Goal of health communication → Proximal mediators “Attitude”.
Health communications are reliant on Short powerful messages rendered to massive groups in an efficient format.
Message characteristics: relates to the features of the message itself. Eg. Is the message logical or not, what are the key points of the message? How wealthy is the information provided and how well is that conveyed? Were the use of language and actions powerful enough to convey the message, or is the message to short or too long etc.
Source characteristics: The surroundings and the source from which the message comes from. Eg: What level of expertise does the speaker has about the topic? Knowledge of the person conveying the message and the credibility of the source, also the physical environment like venue, time etc. will all play into persuasion.
Target characteristics: These are the actual audience factors like their emotions and feelings. Eg: is the listener alert, bored or tired? Interested in the topic? Does he have the requisite knowledge? Etc.
All these characteristics play into persuasiveness of the health communication and in turn attitude change. And in ELM, the target characteristics are the most important of all.
The goal of health messaging targets the proximal moderators, which directly influence behavior change. One most common and the best predictor of behavior change is attitude.
ELM aims at changing attitude towards health behavior.

4. Health Communication:
Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) :
“Attitudes can be formed or changed based on the amount and nature of thinking and if we could change a specific attitude towards a behavior, then we could change the behavior ”
ELM states that “Attitudes can be formed or changed based on the amount and nature of thinking and if we could change a specific attitude towards a behavior, then we could change the behavior itself”. ELM is thus all about attitude. Really???? We will revisit this at the end of the presentation:

5. What is ELM?
Attempt to change attitude → Elaboration = Thinking process → likeliness to persuasion → behavior change.
Use- Tailoring health communication (message)
History:
Dr. Richard E Petty and Dr. John T Cacioppo (1986, 1996)
Social psychology theory – persuasive messaging
Most influential of information change dual process models
1. ELM is essentially a theory that focuses on the thinking process (elaboration) that might occur when we attempt to change a person`s attitude through persuasive communication, the different effects these persuasive variables play within these processes and the strength of Judgment it results.
The assumption in this model is that, the extent or degree of thinking a message provokes in a person, will likely cause persuasion resulting in intentions to perform the behavior. Hence the name “ Elaboration Likelihood Model”
2. This theory is widely used for tailoring health communication that are widely disseminated to public.
3. This theory was developed during late 1970s when there existed a lack of consistent finding about what factors affected persuasion and why some variables would influence persuasion in one context and not in the other. Two graduate students Drs. Richard Petty and John Cacioppo, came up with their theory that level of persuasion depends on how much an individual is thinking.
4. This theory comes from social psychology and is the most influential theory of Dual Process Models of information change.
Terminologies:
Variable – Something that changes persuasiveness.
Motivation- desire to process the message
Ability- capability for critical evaluation

6. Central Tenets of ELM
Degree of elaboration is determined by a) motivation b) ability to think
Information process = continuum of elaboration (low end - high end) with 2 routes of processing a) Peripheral route b) Central route
Depending on where people fall on the continuum (i.e the degree of elaboration), variables influence differently.
Degree of elaboration in persuasion determines the attitude consequence.
Individual`s degree of elaboration is determined by a) motivation of the person b)ability to think – based on which individuals falls on a continuum.
Variable – Something that changes persuasiveness.
Motivation- desire to process the message
Ability- capability for critical evaluation
2. People process information with varying level of thinking (degree of elaboration) forming a continuum of elaboration (low- high). Thus, ELM proposes 2 routes of processing–Peripheral route processing and central route processing.
3. Depending on where people fall on the continuum (ie depending on the degree of elaboration) , variables will influence differently
4. Degree of thought used in persuasion determines how consequential the resultant attitude becomes.

7. How we process information? - Two routes to persuasion
CENTRAL ROUTE PROCESSING (Cognitive)
Intellectually engaging
Peripheral cues
According to ELM, based on how we process information, there are two possible routes of persuasion- CRP and PRP and this information processing passes through 3 different stages.
Stage 1: People perceive information given to them in different way
1. eg: if they find it interesting or show high motivation and ability to think about the message or think its important to know more about it , Then--à CRP. And while, targeting this population, a high involvement messaging is used.
2. Eg: if disinterested, bored, tired or have perceptions of negative mood after the information persists, then they will show low involvement, low motivation and low ability to think about the message. Then, --àPRP.
Stage 2: Processing at stage 2 takes both message characteristics and source characteristics into consideration.
CRP – Listener pays attention to quality of message arguments involving in deep processing of message based on cognitive and value expectancy reasons.
PRP- Tend to pay attention to the superficial/ surface characteristics. So, they go by peripheral cues like heuristics or emotions-à PRP and evaluate the message through a simple associative process.
Stage 3: Tells how these routes differ in elaboration and results in persuasion outcome:
High Motivation and ability leads to deep processing of quality of message arguments and results in formation of enduring attitudes which are resistant to fading and counter persuasion.
Low motivation and ability leads to superficial processing of surface features of the message and results in the formation of attitudes that are susceptible to fading and counter persuasion.
CRP: Pros: This results in long lasting cognitive Judgments
Cons: This route is time, effort and energy consuming. People do not always have requisite knowledge time or opportunity to carefully assess all the merits of the proposal.
PRP: Pros: Helps make decision in a small time. Cons: error prone Judgments.
It is important to know that both of these routes can co-exist in the same message and they can have unique contribution to the message.
PERIPHERAL ROUTE PROCESSING (Associative)

8. Central Route Example Target- mot. & ability Message *Statistics
*Perceived threat
*Quality of argument
Source
*CDC
High involvement messaging
Careful scrutiny of information
Enduring Attitude formation
Target factor here for this route of messaging will be high motivation and high ability to think. If people have increased motivation & Ability, they are more penchant towards high involvement messaging. The message and source characteristics will influence the information processing in the next step. Here, the message characteristics are statistics, inclusion of a certain degree of perceived threat, and quality of the arguments to persuade people to go for vaccination. Source characteristics will be the credibility of information – CDC. Thus, given this route of information processing people will involve in Careful scrutiny of information. They are likely to form enduring attitude if they do not have any preconceived perceptions of the negative effects of HPV vaccination. However, once a positive or negative enduring attitude is formed towards a behavior, here for example HPV vaccination, it will influence positive or negative intention and this attitude is resistant to counter-persuasion and has great temporal persistence and predictability of the behavior. Thus, enduring attitude can be a positive and negative in this route of persuasion.
Enduring attitude-
Greater temporal persistence greater prediction of behavior, resistance to Counter-persuasion and
Can be favorable if prior attitude about negative effects of vaccination doesn’t persist.
Behavioral Intention

9. PERIPHERAL ROUTE EXAMPLE
Peripheral cues: mood (Target)
Surface factors: simple (Message)
Source: CDC, web MD (Source)
Expedited Judgment formation
Behavioral intention – Temporary
Message characteristics: logical and simple, gets to the point, flow chart format showing attitude and consequences.
Wealth of information - may be not, but the way it is conveyed is attractive (women sneezing at the background, needles, use of language is good and conveys the message powerfully).
Source characteristics - CDC, Web MD. However not very detailed information and credibility of the statistics is questionable.
Target characteristics- does make us think very much, focuses on emotions through humor.
The flyer says “ it will help you decide” and the judgment formed is expedited. Thus, attitude is probably not enduring. One may change their mind if they experience increased perceived threat (perceived severity and susceptibility) and change their attitude.
However, a little data has been provided which is a characteristic of Central route. This is also an example of a message with both central and peripheral route, each making unique contribution to the message.

10. THE THEORY OF TRIADIC INFLUENCE
Distal
Influences
Proximal
Predictors
Levels of
Causation
Ultimate
Causes
Social/
Personal
Nexus
Expectancies
& Evaluations
Affect and
Cognitions
Decisions
Experiences
Intrapersonal Stream
Social/Normative Stream
Cultural/Attitudinal Stream
Biological/Nature
Nurture/Cultural
BIOLOGY/
PERSONALITY
SOCIAL
SITUATION
CULTURAL
ENVIRONMENT 1 2 3 4 5 6
Sense of
Social
Interpersonal
Others’
Interactions w/
Social Instit’s
Information/
Self/Control
Competence
Bonding
Beh & Atts
Opportunities 7 8 9 10 11 12
Self
Skills:
Motivation
Perceived
Values/
Knowledge/
Determination
Social+General
to Comply
Norms
Evaluations
Expectancies 13 14 15 16 17 18
The theory says that only proximal mediator- attitude is affected. But at the distal level- all the hearts and brains are involved, and to some extent at the ultimate level (at 2, 4 and 6 stages).
SELF-EFFICACY
BEHAVIORAL
CONTROL
SOCIAL
NORMATIVE
BELIEFS
ATTITUDES
TOWARD THE
BEHAVIOR 19 20 21 22 23
DECISIONS/INTENTIONS
Trial Behavior
EXPERIENCES: Expectancies -- Social Reinforcements -- Psychological/Physiological

11. So, coming back – Does attitude alone influence behavior
So, coming back – Does attitude alone influence behavior? What do u guys think about the model?

12. Video Activity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq9mkRr_E7c  
1. What route of persuasion attempt is used in these Videos?
2. Identify:
Message characteristics
Target characteristics
Source characteristics
Audience factors
Processing approach
Persuasion outcome
How likely are you to perform the behavior based on the commercial?
Video 1- Whooping cough in children:
Message characteristics – simple, non-cerebral but some degree of perceived threat
Target characteristics – peripheral cue – emotions, increases fear appeal.
Source characteristics- Non credible
Audience factors- low motivation and moderate ability to think
Processing approach- little cognitive and mostly associative process
Persuasion outcome- non endurable attitude, may be subject to counter-persuasion.
How likely are you to perform the behavior based on the commercial? Subjective based on individual`s attitude
Video 2: Carls Junior burger with paris Hilton
Message characteristics- The commercial is very non-cerebral, emotional and Heuristically (celebrity) laden.
Target characteristics- attractiveness or sexual, irresistibility
Source characteristics- A complete change in the message meaning/ value- Instead of “You should eat Carl`s junior burger” then message transforms into “Eating burger is sexy or cool”
Audience factor- Low motivation and low ability to think
Processing approach- Simple Associative process (eating burger and Sexy and attractiveness)
Persuasion outcome- non endurable attitude, susceptible to counter-persuasion.
How likely are you to perform the behavior based on the commercial? Subjective based on individual`s attitude.