The Petty and Cacioppo Elaboration Probability Model

Persuasion is the ability that some people have to transmit ideas, and that these are finally shared, accepted and spread by the recipient of the message.

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

The Manufacturing Probability Model was created by Petty and Cacioppo (1983,1986) and addresses the topic of persuasion, within social psychology and organizations. He attempts to explain how people are persuaded, and in what way. Let’s see what it consists of.

Development probability model: characteristics

The elaboration probability model was a milestone in persuasion studies, since it integrated previous attitude models. Its objective was to create a model that grouped the contributions of the previous persuasive theories

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

It was in the ’80s (the decade of its creation) when 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, such as in 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 degrees, through a continuum of elaboration, which goes from “low” to “high”. That is, your beliefs can be modified slightly or intensely, including the intermediate points.

2. Specific change processes

Along this continuum various specific processes of change can occur

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

On the contrary, cognitive response and expectation models are produced by value when a high degree of thinking is required (more complex thinking, requiring greater cognitive effort). These will be placed at the high end of the continuum.

2.1. Routes

At the brain level two types of routes 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 message that is, less important aspects, details, etc.

Following a peripheral route implies little involvement on the part of the recipient, less mental effort and short-term changes in your 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 involves greater involvement and mental effort on the part of the receiver, which focuses on more central and elaborate aspects of the message, as well as lasting changes in their attitudes (long term).

2.1.3. Complementarity of routes

The fact of finally persuading the recipient is determined by a mixture of the two processes; that is to say, there is no separation or dichotomy but rather both processes complement each other depending on the characteristics of the message and other variables.

3. Consequences of the trial

The result of the processing levels (whether they are high or low), will determine the consequences of the recipient’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 are more possibilities that such a judgment will persist over time, better resist attempts at change and generate consequences for other judgments and behaviors.

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

For example, the attractiveness of the source or the emotion felt will influence the amount of thought that a person has, placing them at a point on the continuum that is higher or lower.

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

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

Model variables

exist various variables in the elaboration probability model which determine how the message will be processed and whether persuasion will ultimately occur: