Elaboration and Validation Processes: Implications for Media Attitude Change

This review describes two core processes involved in understanding how attitudes are structured and changed. Elaboration refers to the extent to which people think carefully or in a more cursory manner about messages and validation refers to the extent to which people see their thoughts and attitudes resulting from messages as correct or not. Elaboration is important for understanding both initial attitude changes that occur as a result of media exposure as well as whether those changes are consequential (e.g., resist change and relate to behavior). Validation processes are important for understanding whether thoughts are relied upon in forming attitudes and whether attitudes are relied upon in determining behavior. Elaboration and validation are related in a number of ways such as when more extensive elaboration of an issue leads to an attitude that is perceived to be valid.