[communication theory] Vested interest is a communication theory that seeks to explain how influences affect behavior. As defined by William Crano, vested interest refers to the amount that an attitude object is deemed hedonically relevant by the attitude holder (Crano, 1995). In Crano`s theory of vested interest, he states that `an attitud... Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vested_interest_(communication_theory)