ABSTRACT
We are capable of thinking about the future, the past, distant locations, others’ perspectives, and hypothetical alternatives to our reality. These psychological distances share commonalities but also have distinct traits. According to construal level theory, we are able to transcend ourselves in the here and now by forming mental representations of our surroundings. Construals may be distinguished as either high-level or low-level. As the psychological distance of an object increases, the construal used to represent an object becomes more abstract. Additionally, the level of a construal influences perceived distance. According to Roxane de la Sablonnière, four thematic social contexts may be used to evaluate social change: stability, inertia, incremental social change, and dramatic social change. Each social context is described in relation to psychological distance.
