Psychological distance of events and attribute dimensions

Using a Construal Level Theory (CLT) foundation, the authors conduct four studies which find consumers are more likely to pay attention to short-term (long-term) benefits if an event is taking place in the near (distant) future. Additionally, when people are deciding for themselves (acquaintances), they’re more likely to pay attention to short-term (long-term) benefits and proximal (distant) spatial locations. This research provides theoretical and managerial implications, as businesses can tailor marketing campaigns to emphasize short-term/long-term attribute dimensions to prime consumers to choose a certain alternative depending on how psychologically distant they are from an event/object. The research methods used were questionnaires where participants chose between two alternatives. The current research aims to uphold philosophy from previous literature that states: a primary aim of consumer research is to understand aspects that are influencing different trade-offs of a choice set in the preference construction process (Bettman, Luce, & Payne, 1998).