Social psychologists distinguish between two major routes to persuasion: central and peripheral. As described in the textbook, these terms are more or less interchangeable with the terms ____.

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The terms central and peripheral processing are interchangeable with systematic and heuristic processing, respectively. This distinction refers to the extent of elaboration and effort given to processing persuasive messages. Central/systematic processing involves carefully scrutinizing the message content and its evidence in terms of logic and coherence, while peripheral/heuristic processing involves responding to cues that signal whether the message is credible, attractive, and congruent with one's values or goals.

Social Psychologists Distinguish Between Two Major Routes to Persuasion: Central