Communication Strategies for Participatory Sustainable Development

Joseph Persky contends that, “to compete successfully against economic man, a new ethology must be parsimonious; it must clearly specify the relevant psychological makeup of economic agents; and it must demonstrate that such a system yields better and/or new insights” (Persky 1995). After concluding our research, we feel that Construal Level Theory fulfills the criteria set forth by Persky. While CLT does not constitute a complete economic model of human behavior, it does contribute some valuable insight regarding the determining factors thereof.

In identifying psychological distance as a major factor that moderates selfinterested behavior, CLT research adds a novel dimension to our understanding of the complexities of human action. Instead of a onedimensional representation in which human beings are regarded as inherently self-interested, CLT tells us that human beings predominantly act in a self-interested manner because of the perceptual bias of the low construal mindset, and the inevitable psychological proximity of our everyday life. Psychological distance may in fact be a key variable determining self-interested vs. altruistic behavior. Thus, the variable of perceived psychological distance may contribute valuable insight to our understanding of dynamics like the “tragedy of the commons” that are major inhibitors to the success of sustainable development.

1.7.9 Subtleties of Construal Level Theory While the basic relationship between psychological distance and level of construal is very straightforward, we would like to point out a few subtleties that will be important for the reader to bear in mind as we continue. One of the most fundamental distinctions between high and low construal mindsets is that between abstract and concrete concepts. There are many dimensions of abstraction, however, and absolute distinctions between high and low construal levels are not entirely straightforward. For instance, values are primarily an abstract, high construal variable. However, CLT makes a distinction between low construal, secondary values and high construal, central values. This is also the case with emotions. Affective responses are primarily low construal variables, though some emotions, such as social and future-relevant emotions, involve a higher psychological distance than basic, self-centered emotions.

The reader should understand the distinction between objective and perceived psychological distance. The very word “construal” denotes subjectivity—one thing can be construed in a variety of different mind frames. Events that are objectively distant will by default be perceived via a 21