Scale and construal: How larger measurement units shrink length estimates and expand mental horizons

Abstract

Scale can vary by requiring a different number of units to measure the same target. But what are the consequences of using fewer, larger units? We draw on past psychophysical research that shows how using fewer units reduces clutter in measurement, translating to shorter length estimates. Additionally, we propose that larger scale is associated with targets further from a person's immediate experience (i.e., psychologically distant) and higher order mental representation. Evidence from Study 1 indicates that framing a target as further away causes it to be estimated as shorter because people use larger units to measure it compared to when the same target is framed as nearby. Two subsequent studies suggest that direct manipulation of larger (versus smaller) measurement scale produces not only shorter length estimates, but also more distal timing judgments (Study 2) and abstract mental representation (Study 3). Implications for scale and level of mental construal are discussed.

Disembodiment: Abstract Construal Attenuates the Influence of Contextual Bodily State in Judgment

“…Though the current investigation sampled only two phenomena, we believe that a similar effect of abstract construal should generalize across a wide range of contextual bodily states, including smell (Liljenquist, Zhong, & Galinsky, 2010), sight (Zhong, Bohns, & Gino, 2010), and others. In addition, as the different dimensions of psychological distance produce similar effects on judgment (Henderson & Wakslak, 2010), our results should replicate beyond temporal distance as well as to other manipulations of construal (e.g., Kross et al, 2005;Maglio & Trope, 2011). Importantly, incidental proprioceptive feedback can at times prove advantageous, highlighting the value of concrete thinking.…”

The road traveled, the road ahead, or simply on the road? When progress framing affects motivation in goal pursuit

“…Finally, in our research we have assumed that construal level affects the cognitive representation of perceived distance toward the target rather than of the reference scale, in which case an abstract (concrete) mindset would have led to lower (higher) perceived distance (Maglio & Trope, 2011). Although our results are in line with an assimilation effect of construal level and distance, future research could explore when people are inclined to focus on the reference scale rather than the target and hence when a contrast effect of construal level and distance can be expected.…”

The effect of construal level on predictions of task duration

“…In line with this, Liberman and Förster (2009b) found that priming people with a sense of distance led to faster recognition of global aspects and slower recognition local aspects of stimuli. Furthermore, Maglio and Trope (2011) found that the physical length between two points on a map were estimated using larger units of measurement when the path where described as spatially distant rather than near. We suggest that this expanding of one's mental horizon is likely to affect predictions of task duration, as well.…”