Cold and distant: Bi-directional associations between stimulus perceived temperature and its psychological distance and construal level

Abstract

In thirteen studies (eleven preregistered) we examine the associations in people's minds between stimulus temperature (cold vs. warm) and both its psychological distance (distant vs. close) and construal level (high vs. low) within the framework of construal level theory (Liberman & Trope, 1998; Trope & Liberman, 2010). Study Set I examined the association between psychological distance and temperature. Findings show that psychological distance is implicitly and explicitly associated with temperature (Study 1), that psychological distance is seen as compatible with cold and proximity with warm (Study 2), that stimulus psychological distance affects its perceived temperature (Study 3), and that stimulus temperature affects its psychological distance (Studies 4a & 4b). Study Set II examined the association between construal level and temperature. Findings show that abstract is seen as compatible with cold and concrete with warm (Study 5), that natural language reflects an association between abstractness and temperature (seen in word embeddings, Study 6), that stimulus construal level affects its perceived temperature (Study 7), and that stimulus temperature affects its construal level (Studies 8a & 8b). Study Set III examined implications for communication and person perception. Findings suggest that an imaginary cold-color (vs. warm-color) speaker is associated with larger perceived spatial and social distance from their audience and with larger perceived audiences (Study 9); and that people attribute an expansive (contractive) regulatory scope to cold-color (warm-color) imaginary figures (Studies 10a & 10b). We discuss possible mechanisms, and theoretical and practical implications.