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Chapter 15—Elaboration Likelihood Model

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Title:
The Pursuit of Happyness
Claim:
Central versus peripheral route processing
Application:
Before his big job interview, Chris Gardner (played by Will Smith) is arrested for failure to pay parking tickets. Now, he must walk into the interview after a night in prison, dressed in painter's clothes. How would the interviewers evaluate him if they are engaging in peripheral processing? What does Chris do to persuade them to process his application via the central route? This clip is ripe for analysis using several other theories, including social judgment theory (how does Chris work his way into their latitude of acceptance?) and expectancy violations theory (what would that theory predict about Chris's unexpected appearance?).
Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUDKEbX5OQw
Discovered  By:
Sam (Andrew's student)

Title:
"DollarShaveclub.com - Our Blades Are F***ing Great"
Claim:
Messages may appeal to central route processing, peripheral route processing, or both.
Application:
The persuader cannot choose whether a person will process a message centrally or peripherally. Perhaps that's why this ad from Dollar Shave Club appeals to both routes. As you watch, consider: Which elements of this advertisement appeal to those who will scrutinize the message content? And which elements of this advertisement appeal to those who will focus on irrelevant cues as a mental shortcut?
Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUG9qYTJMsI&t=9s
Discovered  By:
Jayden (Andrew's student)

Title:
Friends, S10, E9, "The One with the Birth Mother"
Claim:
People are motivated to scrutinize persuasive arguments when they see the issue as personally relevant. Attitude shifts that occur through this central route persist over time, resist counterpersuasion, and predict future behavior.
Application:
Cultural connection: The expectant birth mother of a child picks Monica and Chandler to be the adoptive parents because the agency has told her that Monaca is a reverend and Chandler a doctor. At first the desperate couple plays along with the mistake, but when Chandler later confesses who they really are, the irate birth mother rejects them. View Chandler’s subsequent plea and use ELM to explain the woman’s ultimate decision.
Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qpt0efFJn4
Cue Point:
11:10-13:25, 14:45-16:35, 21:12-25:12
Discovered  By:
Em

Title:
"10 Ways Disneyland is Manipulating You," Top 10s
Claim:
The peripheral route is a mental shortcut process that accepts or rejects a message based on irrelevant cues as opposed to actively thinking about the issues.
Application:
Would a Disney park feel so magical if Disney constantly made in-your-face sales pitches for food and merchandise? Probably not, and so Disney appeals to below-the-radar peripheral cues. Consider how Disney aims at a guest's peripheral route (and their wallet) through smell pods (0:16-1:24), magic bands (0:16-2:30), temperature 3:44-4:25), dark walkways (5:32-6:09), gift shop exits (8:18-8:56), and bounceback offers (8:57-9:45).
Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k588QHYdmVo
Discovered  By:
Andrew

Title:
Interstellar
Claim:
Biased elaboration is top-down thinking in which predetermined conclusions color the supporting data.
Application:
In the science fiction film Interstellar, Earth is dying, and humanity is searching for a new planet to call home. In this scene, three astronauts only have the resources to check out one planet, and they must decide which to investigate. At first, it seems that central route processing is guiding Dr. Brand's argument. Then, Cooper reveals further information that suggests Dr. Brand's seeming objectivity is actually biased elaboration.
Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3arGlvDe08
Discovered  By:
Andrew

Title:
"Enchanted", Taylor Swift, Speak Now
Claim:
The central route is a path of cognitive processing that involves scrutiny of message content.
Application:
This song finds Taylor full of insomnia, awake in the middle of the night thinking deeply about the man that she just met. She is clearly motivated to process the relationship centrally, so much so that her need for cognition exceeds her need for sleep.
Link:
https://open.spotify.com/track/10eBRyImhfqVvkiVEGf0N0?si=3d1eb58cd15d4d2c
Discovered  By:
Andrew

Title:
The Office, S3, E13 & 14, "Traveling Salesman / The Return"
Claim:
Message elaboration in the central route of persuasion can produce strong attitude change; speaker credibility in the peripheral route of persuasion can only produce weak attitude change.
Application:
ELM explains why only one of three attempts to persuade in this episode achieved an enduring positive attitude and behavioral shift.
Cue Point:
8:35-10:00, 12:47-14:20
Discovered  By:
Em

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