PsychologyJuly 16, 2026

construal

/kənˈstruːəl/

Definition

The psychological process of interpreting or mentally representing an object, event, or situation, often influenced by one's personal perspective.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 'construe,' which stems from the Latin 'construere' (to pile up, build, or arrange). It entered English to describe the act of interpreting the meaning of something by putting its parts together.

In the news

The article uses 'construal' within the framework of Construal-Level Theory to explain how psychological distance dictates whether we think about things in concrete or abstract terms. It is essential to understanding how human perception shifts based on the 'closeness' of an event in time, space, or social context.

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Association for Psychological Science – APS

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