Question

Define what is meant by both the central and peripheral routes to persuasion. Describe when people are more likely to use the central route to persuasion, and when they are more likely to use the peripheral route. When people are using the central route, what will make an appeal more persuasive? When they are using the peripheral route, what will make an appeal more persuasive?

Answer 1

In order to persuade people to buy the products of a company, the advertisements use persuasion. This persuasion is mainly of two kinds that is central persuasion and peripheral persuasion.

Central persuasion can be defined as the type of persuasion used when an individual is persuaded to act/buy product based on the central message and the arguments for the product or idea. Peripheral route to persuasion can be defined as the type of persuasion used to persuade a person to act/buy a product based on any other aspect besides the message or the argument for the product/idea. When a person is buying a sport product such as shoes because he needs it, central route to persuasion is used. But if a person buys a product looking at an advertisement where his/her favourite celebrity is wearing the shoes, it is peripheral route to persuasion.

Central route to persuasion is used when the argument used for the product is strong enough or compelling. The audience thus relates to the concept and buys it. On the other hand peripheral route to persuasion is more superficial based on peripheral cues such as the attributes of the communicator. Central routes to persuasion are used often for products that are really essential and delivers what it promises such as sport shoes, nutritional supplements, medicines etc. While peripheral routes to persuasion are often used for products such as fast foods, toys for children, leisure products that won't have any real substantial value but people buy it or are influenced to buy it due to the peripheral cues of the advertisement.

When one uses central route to persuasion the appeal is more persuasive. This is because this kind of persuasion is based on the arguments and central idea of the product. Thus, it makes people think. Therefore, the change in the attitude remains with the person for a long time.

The same doesn't hold true for peripheral route to persuasion. It is based on superficial peripheral cues. Therefore the effect or influence of the message is short term. Therefore the appeal and the influence of the message doesn't remain with the person for a long time.