Elaboration Likelihood Critique

by Laura Lavelle

The Elaboration Likelihood Model is a theory that discusses ways to persuade people. According to Petty and Cacioppo there are two paths that can be taken, the central route or the peripheral route. According to the textbook there are five standards used to decide whether a theory is a good theory. I will use these standards to critique the theory.

Does it explain an event or behavior?

The Elaboration Likelihood model explains that people use one of two routes when evaluating a message. In the central route the person thinks the message rationally. He or she thinks about the message itself and whether or not it has merit. The second route is the peripheral route. In this way the person quickly accepts or rejects a message without really thinking about the message itself. The theory does try to explain the behavior of people when they are trying to influence others.

Does it predict what will happen in the future?

Petty and Cacioppo predict that people use the central route with issues of high personal relevance and will use the peripheral route when issues are of low personal relevance.

Is it simple?

Elaboration Likelihood is a fairly simple theory. It is easy to understand.

Can hypotheses be testeed?

Petty and Cacioppo's hypothesis could be tested. One would simply have to find issues of strong and weak personal relevance and test which route works best.

Does it have practical utility?

The Elaboration Likelihood Model does seem to have quite a bit of practical utility. It can help people see what is the best way to attempt to persuade people.

Overall, it seems to me that the Elaboration Likelihood Model passes as a good scientific theory. It does meet most of the criteria. Although they use the two routes of persuasion as one or the other and I disagree with this because I think that both could be used at the same time and I don't think it is as cut and dry as Petty and Cacioppo seem to make it. But I do think that this is a good influence theory and give valuable information to persuaders.




Click here to look at a critique of Technological Determinism Theory. This is another of the Impact/Effect Theories

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This page was last updated March 14, 2000 by Laura Lavelle