Elaboration Likelihood Model
Ramil C. Salon Jr.
I am Ramil C. Salon Jr. A student from Ateneo de Davao University, taking Mass Communication and Psychology. About my revision, I am basing the book “A First look at Communication Theory” by Em Griffin. I choose this reference book because it has a very good output However, I will be elaborating more on things that should be scrutinized in context with Psychology. The reason for me to create this blog is to let people know deeper more on psychological analysis of this theory.
Objective:
The main objective that was written in the syllabus is to support the message elaboration is the central route of persuasion that produces major positive attitude change when unbiased listeners are motivated and are able to scrutinize arguments that they consider strong.
In the objective itself, the main goal of studying this theory is to have the strong ability of persuasion. Persuasion is an act of causing people to do or believe something. So in this theory we are expected to exercise our sense of scrutinizing a certain topic to a more broad and wide. This theory isn’t making simple things into complex but this is an act of making a complicated topics simple.
(Definition in this blog is my own understanding in context with the subject course of Mass Communication)
ELABORATION
Definition of Terms based on the name of the theory.
Elaboration
Elaboration according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary is to have much detail and having many parts that are carefully arranged or planned.
In these definition, we are trying to analyze itself that it is to carefully arranged or planned. Let’s put the example of the game “Henyo”. This is an act of a fresh mind acquiring ideas and knowledge. Looking into the video link below, We can see the act of elaborating one specification to a more specific terms.
Pinoy Henyo Video Link
Just like the idea of the field Communication, Psychology, Engineering and etc. These fields we’re not created as the core subject but these is a part of one core topic that begins with a question, Philosophy. Philosophy as the definition provided it is the study of ideas about knowledge and according to an article. Philosophy has no definite meaning because if it has. It is no longer Philosophy. Philosophy took many forms such as question. That’s why this fields we’re created because people / father of this different field began to ask the question on how relevant communication is? What are the possible study to provide people who has the good mathematical ability and drawing skills? And etc. So elaboration is not only knowing the topic itself but also an act of persuading a certain topic and began to ask question. Questioning one idea is not merely thinking of the concept of mistake but a concept of being curious and formulating ideas. This sense of curiosity can lead students to have a good output because curiosity is an act of questioning a question. As provided in the Scale of core subject . There you can see how these fields in college began.
Elaboration has its strong cognitive process. Cognitive this involves attention, decision making and critical thinking. Comparing cognitive and field of neuroscience. Neuroscience is more on studying the function and parts of the brain and Cognitive is studying on how our human brain works that involves conscious and unconscious state of mind.
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So let’s give this Scale (Scale 1.1) an explanation in connection with elaboration. This scale represents on how we acquire knowledge.
First Stage, we can see the Environmental Input this an act of acquiring knowledge based on the society and environment that we had.
Second Stage, is the Sensory Register, this is an act of remembering an idea that lasts only 3 seconds. For example. When we try to memorize a meaning. When we first read the meaning itself. We actually can state only 3-5 words. Basically, the process is not that high and productive.
Third Stage, Short Term Memory, This is the stage where our human brain can actually remember the information that would last only 20 minutes (that’s why in class, we need to take down notes while the teacher is discussing) given the example, of making an article of the declaration of new law in the Philippines. That certain event in context with communication is an advantage to be a well-known writer in the community. That’s why in the middle of a certain event (declaration) journalist and news writer tend to have a pen and paper as a documentation because our brain has its faster sense of forgetting things if we fail to remember. That’s why Attention is the ongoing process of effective Short term memory. This is the job of the news writer to have an initiative in taking videos and record tapes as an incentive of not forgetting details in a certain declaration. One factor that technology is helpful is that instead of stressing ourselves writing a lot of information while listening, now we can actually just take videos and replay it while writing an article.
Elaborative Rehearsal, this is the stage where we elaborate one things into broader ones. This involves association and repetition in studying one certain idea for us to be immune and memorize ideas. Rehearsal, an act of taking action repetitively. That’s why in memorizing ideas, we more likely repeat and repeat until we would master everything.
Maintenance Rehearsal, an act of giving consistency in context with strategy. This is similar to elaborative rehearsal that involves repetition to be accepted as a Long Term Memory. It is a long process because repeating on information happens.
Retrieval, if we fail to remember things that is one of our long term memory before. Our brain actually has its power to remember. Given the example of having an essay that is related to our Christmas vacation. We actually retrieve events on what is really happening.
So we can see the interplay of how these 2 theorist of Elaboration Likelihood Model apply their field into Communication Theory specializing the field of Cognitive Psychology.
ABOUT THE THEORIST
Cacioppo and Petty collaborated an idea on their Doctorate papers. They used this one girl named Rita as their subject matter who miscommunicate her ideas in engaging to other people. In context of persuading people to believe in her However, this 2 theorist never fail to investigate and formulate the scale of Elaboration Likelihood Model providing its parts and different approaches.
Seeing the biography of Cacioppo he has a lot of field in psychology compared to Petty his fields are Social Neuroscience, Social Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Biological Psychology, and Methodology. One of his field is Cognitive Psychology that is more applied in the theory Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) will be discussed later in this blog.
In context with Petty, he has the least achievement in the field in Psychology because he focused one his Drive Career after gaining graduating Doctorate. He is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
Richard Petty
John Cacioppo
Central Route
Central Route – the definition of it is provided above. This cognitive process show as the interplay that this process really undergo the step of elaborating message. Elaborating message involves scrutinizing one idea into something broader. This provides a lot of question to come up with many answers that took many forms and cover all the possible holes that the Elaboration Likelihood Model is trying to engage. Given the example of judging a performance in Sayawtenista in 67th Ateneo Fiesta, Central Route is applied in a form of providing a criteria of Mastery, Level of Difficulty, Choreography and Costume. In this they are able to tally points providing the different parameter that a Dance should be.
- This involves high level of message elaboration in which a great amount of cognition about the arguments are generated by the Individual receiving the message
- Reasoned attitude that is supported by information
- Personal interest
- High level of interest
- More on thinking not the thoughts of the issue
Peripheral Route
Peripheral Route – the definition of it is provided above. This process tells us that it doesn’t need a message elaboration. It tells us that we should lessen the sense of elaborating one ideas but chances are there will be miscommunication of ideas to one person to another.
Given the example of a biased scoring of the Sayawtenista 67th Ateneo Fiesta. If they will be using this type of process they will just basing it more likely in the costume or etc. There is a sense of biased because it is not carefully elaborated and scrutinized and normally biased decision can lead to miscommunication and end up the competition itself biased and questionable result.
- Little or no interest in the subject and/or has a lesser ability to process a message.
- Recipients do not examine the information thoroughly.
- They are more likely to rely on a General Impression.
Pictures of Sayawtenista
(owned by Samahan Creative Team)
Central Route vs. Peripheral Route
Given another example that compared both approaches.
Let’s put the example of a relationship that decided to quit. If one of them is having the process of Central Route probably they will elaborate the idea of them quitting the relationship off that leads them to many question such as. Why would they break up? Who is the third party involved in this controversy? What are the factors that lead to decide both of you to do it? But if they use the process of Peripheral Route they will just purely quitting their relationship without elaborating the reason why they have to do it.
- in this approaches this formulate me a question that which of the two is better. Obviously, majority will choose the process of Central Route because it is well investigated process than Peripheral Route. However, it has also disadvantage such as it takes a long time in order to collate ideas and acquire more message because sometimes if it has a long process due to long time duration it leads to miscommunication. ( This will be further discussed later on this blog in the 4 elements )
Message Elaboration
Message elaboration is s the extent to which a person carefully thinks about issue-relevant arguments contained in a persuasive communication. To further understand the idea of message elaboration. There is a link provided of a situation between a child calling 911 about his dad suffering from Chest Pain / Hear Burn.
Video Link of the 911 conversation with a child
Title : A 5 year old call 911 @ Medical Emergency and it turns funny
A very good example on this is when there is a crime happened, Police Officer tend to ask further question such as where is the crime scene, how long did the hostage drama? How many people witnessed/ and etc. Covering the possible loop holes is a good form of Message Elaboration this involves prediction and reasoning.
Need for Cognition
According to the book, Need for Cognition is a desire for cognition clarity, an enjoyment of thinking through ideas even when they aren’t personally relevant.
In context with Psychology, Cognitive Psychology is the branch of psychology that specializes how the brain works. This “Need for Cognition” show us the relationship of playing our own human brain in an act of enjoying one idea in a form of acquiring knowledge. Let’s say people who is lazy are more likely to acquire ideas and understand things rather than people who have the willingness to understand things. So it is a state of mind to have an effective form of communication.
Given another example that involves willingness is thinking of the belief that drinking coffee during midnight may lead you to be active and more likely less sleepy. In that case, majority people recommend you because they believe it that it was effective However, some research says that it is the state of mind / unconscious state of mind observing the effectiveness of coffee. It is the coffee the representation of you not sleeping. It is like coffee has no role at all in terms of effectiveness of it to less sleepy.
So basically, if we had this willingness to understand things our brain will be exercised to fastly acquire and process analysis rather than to people who are lazy that lacks motivation.
Given the example of the “need for cognition” is like comparing student who memorized word by word in the book and the student who really understand the topic that can explain without basing it at the book. The teacher gave the application type of exam. Who do you think will get a high score?
Probably, the one who understands the topic compare to the one who memorized word by word because the one who memorized s more likely having a high level of long term memory and has a strong level of remembering rather than other one who has strong ability of understanding and critical thinking. Therefore, not all memorizing measures knowledge, understanding, and critical thinking.
Distraction
How does Distraction affects communication in terms of Elaboration?
How does Distraction affects communication in terms of Elaboration?
Distraction disrupts elaboration. Given the example of Jessy reading a poem for her literature class. Literature is not merely reading the poem itself but it needs an analyzation, critical thinking, reflecting the words to its symbolism and translation. In the middle of her understanding the poem given by her teacher, group of students in the other table laugh loudly. Do you think she can comprehend the thinking that she had?
Probably No, because distraction is one factor to block your mind from fully understanding it. Environment affects individual, that’s why people tend to go to coffee shop for studying probably bed is a distraction in a room or her roommate keeps on talking and talking. Therefore, Distraction affects people’s understanding.
Four Elements of Elaboration Likelihood Model
(Core Ideas, Assumptions, Variables, Consumption)
Core Ideas
ELM argues when a person encounters some form of communication, they can process this communication with varying levels of thought.
- A very good example of this synthesized idea is that in terms of Debate. Debate is known to be exchanging ideas with one group who agreed and another group for the opposition. In this given example, we can see how ideas are being organized especially in the middle of Debate. These Ideas were very much elaborated and carefully scrutinized that as the debate trial go on. Ideas should develop a sense of senseful thought to the extent of having a strong stand representing the certain group. It’s like there were 2 buildings built in the same time but what matters there is the sense of measuring who built the building well and make it stronger than the other group.
ELM predicts that there are a variety of psychological processes of change that operate to varying degrees as a function of a person’s level of elaboration.
- Given the example of Classical Conditioning, In Classical Conditioning by Ivan Pavlov is considered as a theory in terms of animals to human. Some other researcher keep on questioning if there are theory of communication in regards to animals to human. In this example, Association is the main reason why animals are well trained. We can say that animals are well trained, not well educated. Because comparing both of the idea of well trained and well educated. Well trained is an act of letting an instinct to perhaps do maintenance rehearsal, the act of repeating one’s action from time to time. ELM is present by the time the action of the certain person to animals is well detailed in a form of step by step process.
- Mere Exposure Effect – a psychological phenomenon by which people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them. In Social Psychology, this is called FAMILLIARITY PRINCIPLE.
o A very good example of this principle is that when you conduct a research into a certain field. In this, we ourselves in context with gaining the highest grades, save ourselves and choose the topic that is best for us to the extent of choosing what we want and where we are best of. In this concept, You are enable to elaborate things to the extent of you were able to easily provide such examples, assumptions, critique and a concept of humanity that is applicable into any field of our lives that made it falsifiable, parsimony and understandable.
Judgment – an act of elaborating, persuading from one presence to another.
- An example is in context of choosing the right employee in such workplace. In context with Human Resource Subject, undergoing to a process of applying such job took many forms. One precise case that would best synthesize the concept of judgment is when 100 applicants will be applied the rule of 3, this rule will choose 3 best applicants that they think is best in their workplace. In this we can see that critiquing and judgment is mainly the exercise that is applied for this field of selection. Judgment is not present face to face from Job Analyst to an applicant itself. But every judgment will be present in the Rejection Paper. In writing Rejection Paper there is also a format and a sense of being careful of what you say so that the impact of the rejection letter would be positive to the applicant itself.
o TIPS ON HOW TO WRITE REJECTION PAPER
§ Give appreciation to the applicant for giving time and effort in applying in the certain company.
§ Give some of the Positive Comment that would best result on her ego to respond calmly.
§ Make some judgment and recommendation in regards to what is lacking in terms of her KSAOS (Knowledge, Skills, Ability, Other Characteristics)
§ Encourage her to apply to again in the company.
§ Provide a quote that would best motivate her as a regular employee.
In this case the tips itself would best explain how important communication and elaboration is. ELM would best be applicable in this situation. To let other people understand well of their lost such as being rejected in the company.
ASSUMPTIONS
One assumptions is the attitudes formed through the central route than the peripheral route are stronger and more difficult to change.
Central Route is taken (involving high-elaboration thought in which all information is being carefully analyzed), the attitudes formed become more stable and less liable to counter persuasion.
Peripheral Route is taken (involving low elaboration thought based on heuristics (using experience to learn) and shortcuts to establish an attitude), short term attitudes are more likely to occur.
VARIABLES
A variable is essentially anything that can increase or decrease the persuasiveness of a message.
o In this idea, we can see that not all elaboration reach the goals that was set in their parameter. That’s why the concept of carefully scrutinize is more important because by just one failure of noticing what’s needed and fail to provide may lead to miselaboration that would result to an unclear output.
Attractiveness, mood, expertise, motivation and ability
o Mood – Mood is one factor in ELM because sometimes when a person is stressed and exhausted while doing an elaboration to a certain situation. Sometimes the neurotic needs of being relaxed and calm will unable to provide the need of our cognitive process that’s why some other people chose not to participate well when not in the mood. Sometimes also, there are people who have strong cognitive exercise to adjust things in to the unadapted traits such as coping up. Relaxation or relieving of stress would best exercise to bring back the mood that would elaborate things.
CONSEQUENCES
- For an Individual intent on forming a long-lasting beliefs on topics.
- A good example that would best show the interplay of the consequences is in Central Route. Central Route suggested that Elaboration Likelihood Model should be deliberately and critically studied in order to have a good output. Seeing this concept may seems right and beneficial to the complementary of ourselves. However, there are consequences that this route may take long time that would seems not so right. In context with communication, time should be utilized not only for one but multitask everything.
Given the example of the subject Journalism. The teacher asked you to write different kinds of Journalism to measure how well you mastered writing that includes Persuasive, Editorial, Catalogue, News Article, Magazine and etc. In this example the teacher can’t just measure the ability of the student in terms of one field. In student’s POV, assuming that he wrote and take more time the Magazine because that’s his favorite field. In this situation we can see the sense of him wasting time from just focusing to one field instead as a whole.
APPLICATIONS OF THE ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL
this can be applied in both advertising and marketing
My reference precisely pointing out what are the application of Elaboration Likelihood Model both Marketing and Advertising. Considering the film of Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd, “It takes a man and a woman”. This film show us how the process of advertising and marketing. Advertising in concept of Magazine and Marketing for they wanted to reach the number of sales more than the amount of money spent. Elaboration Likelihood Model is present by the time the proposal of budget will be presented months before the photoshoot, writing of editorial and the releasing of copies. In this, the presentation itself would not just be contributing the scale model of the budget with the amount of the money but also. What are the things covered by the target money spent.
Pushing the limits of Peripheral Power
Let’s go directly to example to somehow understand this concept very carefully. A good form of thought is symbolism. Given the example that in terms of education it would best symbolize the concept of the Mother eagle and baby eagle relationship in teaching how to fly. The story of this is that Mother Eagle instincts or tradition practiced is that they will push their baby eagle and let the baby eagle itself learn to fly. In this case, we see the thought of learning is a risk. Just like us being send by our parent in school. We are pushed in a form of being dependent especially in college. Learning is a risk. If you made it. You will be able to learn and educate yourself to satisfy the satisfaction principle that we had. If not, probably we’ll fail. So in this power, we appreciate Elaboration Likelihood Model more and more for it lets us understand well but projecting an ordinary stories to an extra ordinary symbols.
Peripheral Cues: An alternative Route of Influence
Alternative Route this involves the substitute of what you wanted to say in a form of Body Language. Given the example of you trying to argue with your boyfriend. Sometimes you tend to verbally rant the table (in a form of boxing) in front of the restaurant because you can’t contain the angriness inside you. In that act, there is the sense of prediction to any other point of views that the certain person is quiet angry. There is the sense of substitute that instead of her arguing things. She might as well box the table, point out the person to his / her forehead and etc.
Speaker Credibility – literally refers to the extent in which your audience believes you when you speak. It is about trust they place in you,
Examples: Schools in other country hired teacher who is knowledgably smart because majority of the student in the school are passive enough in following the system of education, Passive Students means no interaction happened because what are the things that teacher state is assumed to be right. In this, there is a failure of Elaboration Likelihood Model happened because they fail to go beyond what the concept means. No critical thinking happened. Or no Need of Cognition happened. (The act of enjoyment in Learning)
This is my analysis of the Theory of Elaboration Likelihood Model. Wrapping up all the ideas made in my blog. Elaboration Likelihood Model has no specific target when it comes to applying it to our own situation. Elaboration Likelihood model took many forms and exactly applicable to any other fields, form and situation.
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If you areable to finished reading this long blog yet very well elaborated. I would like to say Thank you for taking time reading my own version in explaining what ELM or Elaboration Likelihood Model is. For more information in regards to my blog please DM me on Twitter @RamilSalonJr and Instagram @Mybabyrams
Again Thank you and I hope this may help you learn a lot more than what should be expected :)
