How does knowing about temporal construal levels help us make better choices?
An interesting but not widely known framework for dealing with self-control and daily decisions is the theory of temporal construal levels.
The theory and many subsequent research studies (here’s just one example by Fujita, Trope, Liberman, and Levin-Sagi) suggest that we think quite differently about events depending on how far in the future they are. When we think about a distant event, we represent it in a more abstract and coherent way, and we connect those future events with our goals. This would be a high-level construal. As the event gets closer, we become more concerned about the concrete and incidental details of the events and about the experience itself. This would be a low-level construal.
As an example: When I plan to hike next weekend, I’m thinking about the big picture and have goals in mind such as leading a healthy life, making beautiful memories, or enjoying good company.
In the moment of the event itself, from the alarm clock going off way too early, to the strenuous climb and descent, I am likely to focus on the specifics of the experience, including all the discomfort that comes with it.
After the event, I will likely look back at it again from the big picture perspective, happy about the memories and achievement.
The fact that we represent future events differently from the present has very practical implications for our decisions: it means that we often make different choices for our future selves than for our present selves.
When we’re further away from a choice, we find it easy to focus on the big picture and know what’s best for us.
For example, we know that we want to be productive, eat healthy, work out, and so on. However, as we get closer to the moment when we should actually do those things, we’re more likely to choose what feels good in the moment – for example, watch the funny video, eat the chocolate cake, and generally seek instant pleasure and avoid discomfort.
Two practical tips to deal with changing temporal construal levels:
1. Beforehand: “zoom in” to plan well
Since we tend to think about our past decisions on the same high level construal as about our future decisions, planning ahead helps us make choices that we won’t regret in the future. The more detailed your plan, the more decisions are you are making before the event, rather than during it. However, while you’re in the planning phase, remember to be kind to your future self! Try to envision difficulties ahead of time, and set your future self up for success by removing as many obstacles as possible. In that way, a realistic plan – one you’re willing to commit to – will give you a priceless advantage by freeing you from too many decisions later on.
2. In the moment: “zoom out” to reconnect with goals and values
As the event gets closer, and in the heat of the moment itself, remind yourself of the big picture and the original plan. When things get hard and uncomfortable, think about the reasons why you are doing this. Since there is no longer any temporal distance, one very good trick is to increase the psychological distance to get back into a high-level construal. For example, before deviating from your plans, think about what you would advise a friend to do in your situation. This helps you see your decision from more distance – similarly to the way you will likely judge your own decision in the future, when you look back at it.
by Ursina Teuscher (PhD), at Teuscher Decision Coaching, Portland OR
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