The Influence Of Construal Level On Non-egocentric Psychological Distance

According to construal level theory, higher (lower) level of construalleads to greater (closer) psychological distance. But this research shows thatthis phenomenon happens only when the psychological distance isegocentric, whose reference point is based on now, here, self andexperienced reality. Online survey is adopted as research methods. It findsout that unlike egocentric distance, non-egocentric psychological distance(the one referenced not from now, here, self or experienced reality) will notbe influenced by construal level. The egocentric property is the bound ofconstrual level theory. Our study reveals that non-egocentric distanceperception will be closer to egocentric one when perspective taking issuggested. The author believes that people deal with non-egocentricdistance by transfer to a new reference point (other time, location, identityor unexperienced event), on which people are able to take advantage of theirfamiliar experience with egocentric distance. Our further study also showsthat one’s capability of assuming new reference point, namely sense ofidentification in time, space, social and hypotheticality dimension, willaffect the perspective taking during the perception process. The better thesense of identification, the more sufficient the perspective taking, the greaterinfluence of construal level on non-egocentric psychological distance. Forthese people, the polarization of estimated distance can be observed withhigh/low construal level, indicating the effect of interaction.