The Influence of Relevance (Elaboration Likelihood Model)

The Influence of Relevance in the Elaboration Likelihood Model explains how people are persuaded based on how important or meaningful the message is to them. When a message is highly relevant, individuals are more likely to think carefully about it (central route), leading to lasting attitude change. If the message feels less relevant, they might rely on shortcuts like superficial cues (peripheral route), resulting in more temporary influence. Essentially, relevance determines whether people deeply process information or just skim, affecting how strongly they are persuaded.