One theory forms the backbone of most persuasion studies. The elaboration likelihood model outlined by Richard Petty and John Cacioppo in 1986 proposes two routes a message can take in terms of changing a person's attitude and behavior. One is the central route, which requires careful scrutiny of an argument presented in a message and appeals to people who enjoy thinking through the logic of statements. If the message is presented by a credible source and forms a strong logical argument, then persuasion will be likely according to the model. The other option is the peripheral route, which relies less on critical thinking and more on the overall feeling one gets from the message. Is the character in the message likeable? Is there a catchy slogan? Is the presentation of the message just plain cool?
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