In social psychology, which of the following is considered a peripheral cue that people often monitor when someone is trying to influence them?

• A. The amount of statistical evidence provided
• B. The logical structure of the argument
• C. The complexity of the message content
• D. The speaker's physical attractiveness

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context of the problem: It relates to the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) in social psychology, which explains how people are persuaded through two main routes—the central route and the peripheral route.
2. Identify what central cues are: These involve the quality and strength of the arguments, such as the amount of statistical evidence, logical structure, and complexity of the message content. These require careful and thoughtful consideration.
3. Identify what peripheral cues are: These are superficial or surface-level factors that do not involve deep processing of the message content. Examples include the speaker's physical attractiveness, credibility, or likability.
4. Recognize that the question asks for a peripheral cue, so focus on factors that influence persuasion without engaging in detailed analysis of the message itself.
5. Conclude that among the options, the speaker's physical attractiveness is a classic example of a peripheral cue because it influences persuasion through automatic, heuristic processing rather than careful evaluation.