Toward a deeper understanding of the ecological origins of distance construal

Abstract

In the present research we elaborate on an ecological account (Fiedler, Jung, Wänke & Alexopoulos, 2012) for the unitary distance dimension postulated in construal-level theory, highlighting linguistic influences on distance regulation. We first replicate that distinct action verbs solicit similarly distant or close episodes in many judges, producing strong positive correlations between ratings of four distance aspects (time, space, probability, personal distance). A primary semantic-pragmatic dimension that accounts for a large part of the verb impact is valence: Negative action verbs trigger more distant episodes than positive verbs. Experiment 1 rules out an alternative explanation in terms of participants' mood. Experiment 2 cross-validates the valence effect with a new sample of affective state verbs. Consistent with implicit verb causality, state verbs solicit more distant episodes than action verbs, suggesting lack of intentional control and power as another semantic-pragmatic dimension. Experiment 3 supports this interpretation using high-and low-power nouns.

Psychological distance in consumer psychology: Consequences and antecedents

“…For that reason, when any natural variation or intervention causes something to feel far away in one dimension of distance (e.g., time), people automatically extrapolate from this sense of distance to a feeling that the same thing is far away in each of the other dimensions (Bar‐Anan, Liberman, Trope, & Algom, ; but see Zhang & Wang, ). Recent theorizing has proposed an ecological basis for this association, emerging due to natural correlations across the four distances (Fiedler, Jung, Wänke, & Alexopoulos, ; Fiedler, Jung, Wänke, Alexopoulos, & de Molière, ) with both direct consequences for and downstream consequences of the perception of distance (Hansen & Wänke, ; Van Kerckhove, Geuens, & Vermeir, ).…”

Interventions to encourage sustainable consumption

“…Construal level theory has proposed since that these barriers are different indicators of psychological distance Trope & Liberman, 2010). Originating from research into time-dependent changes in values and expectancies (Antonides & Wunderink, 2001;Liberman & Trope, 1998), construal level theory has evolved into a general framework that forges relations between psychological distance, perception, abstraction, language, evaluation, and behaviour (Fiedler, Jung, Wänke, Alexopoulos, & de Molière, 2015).…”

A challenge for predictive coding: Representational or experiential diversity?

“…Zooming-in (reducing distance) must increase resolution and concreteness whereas zooming-out (increase distance) must reduce resolution and increase abstractness; field glasses with reverse properties would be fully dysfunctional. Likewise, the convergence of spatial, temporal, social, and evidential distance on a common distance dimension reflects constraints of the physical and social environment (Fiedler et al 2015). What happened many years ago is more likely to have taken place at distant locations with other social partners, embedded in less likely scenarios than what is currently experiencedin the here and now.…”