Processing of Political Contents of Mass Media: An Analysis under the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion

Dr. Imran Muslim; Dr. Faiza Latif; Dr. Muhammad Shabbir Sarwar

doi:10.36902/sjesr-vol3-iss3-2020(141-147)

Dr. Imran Muslim Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication Government College University Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
Dr. Faiza Latif Assistant Professor, Lahore College for Women University Punjab, Pakistan
Dr. Muhammad Shabbir Sarwar Assistant Professor, Institute of Communication Studies University of the Punjab, Pakistan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36902/sjesr-vol3-iss3-2020(141-147)

Keywords: Elaboration Likelihood Model, Information Processing, Mass media, Youth

Abstract

This study deals with the processing of political information disseminated through mass media. “Elaboration Likelihood Model” of persuasion was used as a framework for this study. A list comprising of general sentences used in favor and against the major political parties of Pakistan was used as “central” and “peripheral” cues. A combination of stratified and multistage cluster sampling was used to select the youth as respondents for this study. Findings of the study revealed that the Education level of the youth did not prove to be a key factor for using central cues, which are predictors of thoughtful processing of information. More than that a large majority of the youth did not gave much attention to the political contents of mass media, hence by proving that they do not care for the political happenings in the country.