When the boss judged the monthly report by lightly flipping through the pages, she was using heuristic processing, a simple-minded evaluation that relies on quick decision rules. When we use heuristic processing (also known as the peripheral route to persuasion), we’re more influenced by simple, irrelevant, and “peripheral” cues, such as: The sheer amount of information or support The aesthetics of a message The person presenting the message (e.g., his likability, attractiveness, perceived expertise, etc.) Those peripheral cues don’t necessarily relate to the strength of a message, yet people
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