What is Construal level theory?
Construal level theory proposes that psychological distance (in time, space, social connection, or probability) determines how abstractly or concretely people think about events. Distant events are construed abstractly (focusing on why), while near events are construed concretely (focusing on how).
How it works
Trope and Liberman (2010) showed that when a vacation is months away, people think about it in terms of desirability (‘it will be relaxing’). When it is tomorrow, they think about feasibility (‘did I pack sunscreen?’). This shift affects preferences: distant choices prioritize goals and values, while near choices prioritize logistics and constraints.
Applied example
A nonprofit asking for donations to help famine victims in a distant country is more effective when it features one named, photographed child (concrete construal) than when it presents statistics about millions affected (abstract construal), because the identified victim reduces psychological distance.
Why it matters
Construal level theory explains why people are enthusiastic about commitments made for the distant future but reluctant when those commitments come due, and why messaging must match the audience’s psychological distance from the topic.
