ABSTRACT
Current research has focused on the idea that attitude change can result from two different kinds of persuasion processes. One type of persuasion emphasises the relatively effortful scrutiny of issue-relevant arguments, whereas the other focuses on the impact of simple peripheral cues. The antecedents and consequences of these two routes to persuasion are identified and two different dual route theories (the Elaboration Likelihood Model and the Heuristic-Systematic Model) are compared and contrasted. The chapter concludes with a discussion of whether variables serving as peripheral cues under low elaboration conditions can influence attitudes under high elaboration conditions. It is noted that these variables can have a reduced, unchanged, enhanced or reversed impact on attitudes as the elaboration likelihood is increased. The possible processes leading to these outcomes are discussed.
