Persuasive communication of risk information: A test of cue versus message processing effects in a field experiment

Tested the elaboration likelihood (EL) model of persuasion as applied to risks of large-scale use of coal by surveying 178 Ss (aged 19-66 yrs) in a naturalistic setting. Ss were rated as either high- or low-EL depending on their scores on involvement and Need for Cognition scales. All hypotheses were supported: (1) for low-EL Ss highly credible sources were more persuasive than less credible sources, whereas for high-EL Ss no credibility effects were found; (2) while practically no persistence of change was found after 14 mo, a slight persistence in the high-EL group was attributed solely to high need for cognition; and (3) beliefs-attitude-intention consistency was stronger for high- than low-EL Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).