Methodological Factors in the ELM

Abstract

In the preceding chapter we outlined the postulates of the Elaboration Likelihood Model. In the remainder of this volume we will review the evidence for the ELM. Before turning to this, however, it would be useful to cover some general methodological issues that arise in testing the ELM. We will first briefly address the procedures we have employed to assess attitudes and attitude change in our experiments. Then we will discuss procedures for assessing and operationalizing the three basic constructs in the ELM: argument quality, peripheral cues, and message elaboration. Finally, we discuss individual differences in the likelihood of message elaboration.