Examining the Psychological Process Underlying the Sleeper Effect: The Elaboration Likelihood Model Explanation

Abstract

The sleeper effect describes a persuasive influence that increases, rather than decays, over time. The goal of the present article is to integrate the sleeper effect within a current theory in attitudes and persuasion. A history of the findings and explanations of the sleeper effect are outlined. An explanation of the sleeper effect from current theory is provided, and a study is reported in which hypotheses derivable from the current theoretical explanation are tested. The study found that, as hypothesized, the sleeper effect emerged only when the persuasive communication was initially elaborated. It is argued that the present study affords a new explanation of the sleeper effect that is able to accommodate and integrate prior explanations.