Question

Susie doesn't listen to every word that comes out of the presenter's mouth but she's impressed by the labcoat and gets the general gist that smoking is bad. She trusts the doctor's expert opinion and is convinced easily to not smoke. What route does Susie take in processing information according to the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)?

Answer 1

She is taking the peripheral route to persuasion.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the ELM (Elaboration Likelihood Model), there are two fundamental routes to persuasion: central and peripheral. The central route is based on considering objective merits and facts, while the peripheral route is based on immediate impressions.

In the example, Susie believed what the doctor said based on her impression about him. This means she took the peripheral route. Had she followed the central path, she would have done some research about smoking, and asked the opinion of other professionals.