A First Look At Communication Theory, 10e (Griffin)
Chapter 15 Elaboration Likelihood Model
1) Richard Petty and John Cacioppo define messages that generate favorable thoughts when
heard and scrutinized as:
A) objective messages.
B) biased messages.
C) strong messages.
D) weak messages.
2) The path of cognitive processing that involves scrutiny of message content is defined as the:
A) peripheral route.
B) diffuse route.
C) direct route.
D) central route.
3) In the context of the routes to persuasion, which of the following statements is true about the
peripheral route?
A) Recipients rely on a variety of cues that allow them to make quick decisions.
B) It essentially involves message elaboration.
C) Recipients are required to do extensive cognitive work.
D) It involves careful scrutiny of new information and ideas to figure out if they have true merit.
4) Richard Petty and John Cacioppo refer to biased elaboration as:
A) top-down thinking.
B) bottom-up thinking.
C) exponential thinking.
D) oppositional thinking.
5) For many students of persuasion, the most interesting cue on the peripheral route is:
A) a statistic.
B) source credibility.
C) an analogy.
D) an enthymeme.
6) The elaboration likelihood model indicates that if your listeners will give their undivided
attention to evaluate your proposal, you should present them with:
A) strong facts and figures.
B) strong evidence of source credibility.
C) moderate evidence of source credibility and strong appeals to emotions.
D) None of the answers is correct.
7) Robert Cialdini of Arizona State University lists six cues that trigger a programmed response
and allow people hearing a persuasive appeal to fly the peripheral route on automatic pilot. A
statement such as “You owe me” relates to the peripheral route because it represents:
A) consistency.
B) social proof.
C) reciprocation.
D) both “social proof” and “reciprocation.”
8) Unlike biased elaboration, objective elaboration ________.
A) avoids seeking truth
B) relies heavily on predetermined conclusions
C) merely bolsters previous ideas
D) lets facts speak for themselves
9) Bottom-up thinking is also known as:
A) objective elaboration.
B) biased elaboration.
C) equal elaboration.
D) purposeful elaboration.
10) In the context of elaborated arguments, the enhanced thinking of those who respond
favorably to messages will cause their change in position to:
A) persist over time.
B) resist counterpersuasion.
C) predict future behavior.
D) All of the answers are correct.
11) The two mental routes to attitude change should be considered mutually exclusive.
12) In the terminology of social judgment theory, individuals are motivated to elaborate only
ideas with which they are highly ego-involved.
13) Petty and Cacioppo maintain that as long as people have a personal stake in accepting or
rejecting an idea, they will be much more influenced by the characteristics of the persuader than
by what the message says.
14) Richard Petty and John Cacioppo believe motivation and ability strongly increase the
likelihood that a message will be elaborated in the minds of listeners.
15) Issue-relevant thinking (elaboration) takes more than intelligence; it also requires
concentration.
16) The elaboration likelihood model provides an absolute standard for distinguishing between
cogent and specious arguments.
17) Consistent with the democratic values of a free society, Thomas Nilsen proposed that
persuasive speech is ethical to the extent that it maximizes people’s ability to exercise free
choice.
18) Arizona State University communication researcher Paul Mongeau and communication
consultant James Stiff suggest that the descriptions of the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)
are sufficiently precise and accurate to facilitate an adequate test of the entire model.
19) Most messages are processed ________.
20) When predetermined conclusions color the supporting data underneath, it is called ________
elaboration.
21) Compare and contrast the central and peripheral routes. What kinds of messages does each
handle?
22) Which route—the central or the peripheral—handles more messages? Why?
23) How would elaboration likelihood model (ELM) assist you to prepare to address a high-
school audience on the dangers of drugs?
24) According to Petty and Cacioppo, why do most people pay less attention to the
communication than to the communicator?
25) How do Petty and Cacioppo distinguish strong arguments? What is your opinion of their
distinction?
26) Petty and Cacioppo claim that most messages receive middle-ground attention between the
cognitive and peripheral poles, but there is a trade-off. What is this trade-off? Explain using an
example from your experience.
27) Compare social judgment theory and elaboration likelihood model (ELM) with EVT. Could
you make the case for including EVT in the influence section of A First Look?
28) Compare the ethical concerns raised about social judgment theory to those made about
elaboration likelihood model (ELM). Which one is more problematic?