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Multiple Roles for Variables in the Elaboration Likelihood Model

Now that we have explained the specific roles that variables can take on
in persuasion settings, it is important to note that one of the most power-
ful features of the ELM is that it holds that any one variable can have an
impact on persuasion by serving in different roles in different situations.
That is, the same feature of a persuasive message can, depending on the
context, serve as an issue-relevant argument or a peripheral cue, affect
the motivation or ability to think about the message, bias the nature of the
thoughts that come to mind, or affect structural properties of the thoughts
such as how accessible they are or how much confidence people have in
them.
If any one variable can influence persuasion by several means, it
becomes critical to identify the general conditions under which the vari-
able acts in each of the different roles or the ELM becomes descriptive
rather than predictive (cf., Stiff, 1986). The ELM holds that when the
elaboration likelihood is high (such as when perceived personal rele-
vance and knowledge are high, the message is easy to understand, no
distractions are present, and so on), people typically know that they
want to and are able to evaluate the merits of the arguments presented,
and they do so. Variables in the persuasion setting are likely to have lit-
tle direct impact on evaluations by serving as simple peripheral cues in
these situations. Instead, when the elaboration likelihood is high, a vari-
able can serve as an argument if it is relevant to the merits of the issue,
the variable can determine the nature of the ongoing information pro-
cessing activity (e.g., it might bias the ongoing thinking), or the variable
can influence structural properties of the cognitive responses that occur
(e.g., the confidence with which they are held). On the other hand, when
the elaboration likelihood is low (e.g., low personal relevance or knowl-
edge, complex message, many distractions), people know that they do
not want to or are not able to evaluate the merits of the arguments pre-
sented, or they do not even consider exerting effort to process the mes-
sage. If any evaluation is formed under these conditions, it is likely to be
the result of relatively simple associations or inferences based on salient
cues. Finally, when the elaboration likelihood is moderate (e.g., uncer-
tain personal relevance, moderate knowledge, moderate complexity),
people may be uncertain as to whether or not the message warrants or
needs scrutiny and whether or not they are capable of providing this
analysis. In these situations they may examine the persuasion context
for indications (e.g., Is the source trustworthy?) of whether or not they
are interested in or should process the message. A few examples should
help to clarify the multiple roles that a variable can have in different
situations.