persuasion
Summary
Persuasion is changing someone's attitudes or beliefs with a message. In the elaboration likelihood model, the central route relies on careful thought about argument quality and tends to give longer-lasting change; the peripheral route relies on surface cues such as source attractiveness.
Detail
Meaning: Persuasion is the use of a message to change a person's attitude or belief. The elaboration likelihood model (Petty and Cacioppo) describes two routes. In the central route, the listener thinks carefully and judges argument strength; this is more likely when the person is motivated (the topic matters) and able (few distractions). In the peripheral route, the listener is swayed by surface cues: source attractiveness, apparent expertise, the number of arguments, or emotional tone. Central-route change tends to last longer and resist counterarguments better.
Persuasion is also affected by three groups of factors, classically from the Yale attitude-change approach: source (credibility, trustworthiness), message (logic, emotional content, length), and target (involvement, mood, self-esteem, existing attitudes).
On the MCAT: A passage describes an advertisement, and you decide which route it uses. A celebrity endorsement aimed at a distracted audience points to the peripheral route; detailed evidence aimed at an interested audience points to the central route. You may also predict which change will last longer.
Common confusion: Conformity, compliance and obedience change behavior under social pressure or a request; persuasion changes attitudes through a message. The peripheral route does change attitudes, though usually less durably.
Sources
- Social Psychology (Aronson, Wilson, Akert)
- Psychology (Myers)
Written for the MCAT and checked before it was published. For study reference only. Spotted an error? Let us know.