From advertisements to word of mouth: understanding the Elaboration Likelihood Model in consumer-directed persuasion

Jacob D. Teeny and Richard E. Petty

Chapter 5 in Handbook of Social Psychology and Consumer Behavior, 2026, pp 53-67 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Marketers regularly rely on advertisements and consumer word of mouth to promote their brands, products, and services. But how do such forms of consumer-directed persuasion influence consumers’ opinions and behavior? And what similarities and differences are there between advertisements and word of mouth? This chapter uses an influential persuasion theory from social psychology, the Elaboration Likelihood Model, to organize the factors, variables, and processes critical for understanding consumer persuasion. In doing so, the chapter highlights how the consumer's state of elaboration (i.e., how much the consumer is thinking carefully about the persuasion attempt) affects the psychological process by which the persuasion occurs. In turn, this helps explain the influence of any specific variable (e.g., the consumer's mood, the source of the message) on downstream persuasion outcomes. The chapter concludes with insight on how to instill the most impactful forms of persuasion – whether through an advertisement or word of mouth.

Keywords: Elaboration Likelihood Method; Persuasion; Word of Mouth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035327591
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