Information Processing of Advertising among Young People: The Elaboration Likelihood Model as Applied to Youth

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to test whether Petty and Cacioppo's Elaboration Likelihood Model is relevant to young people. An earlier central study on adults was replicated, through 330 in-depth interviews among three age groups (4–7, 8–11, 12–15). The findings: young people do not use either the central or peripheral route for changing attitudes as in the original adult studies. Indeed, in all three age groups, the young people's attitudes were similar in both high and low involvement. We offer explanations for these surprising findings.