Critics of the political process often claim that political campaigning focuses, to a substantial degree, on appearances rather than issues. Social psychologists who conduct research on attitude change would say that today's political ads emphasize the ________ route to persuasion.

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Political ads often emphasize the peripheral route to persuasion, which focuses on superficial cues and emotional responses rather than the detailed evaluation of the content or the quality of the arguments, aligning with the criticism that campaigns focus more on appearances than on substantive issues.  When the peripheral route to persuasion is used, the person trying to persuade us of something is hoping that we do not use critical thinking. The peripheral route represents circumstances in which the focus is shifted away from the message and toward superficial cues in the situation, such as in the case of the celebrity endorsing the candidate.

Critics of the Political Process Often Claim That Political Campaigning