Central Route Persuasion involves deeply processing the content of a message by focusing on its logic and the strength of its arguments rather than superficial cues.
Central route persuasion is grounded in the Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion, which posits that attitude change can occur through thoughtful consideration of persuasive arguments and evidence.
Research by Petty and Cacioppo (1986) found that individuals are more likely to be persuaded via the central route when they are motivated and able to process information, leading to more enduring attitude change.