Temporal, but neither social nor hypothetical, distance maps onto spatial distance

Despite the impactful contribution of Construal Level Theory (CLT) on predicting human behavior that transcends immediate experiences, direct evidence supporting the cognitive underpinnings whether psychological distance dimensions (temporal, spatial, social, hypothetical distance) map onto physical distance is scarce. This study aims to re-examine and extend such evidence demonstrated by Bar-Anan et al. (2007), whose findings suggested that distance dimensions share a common process in a Stroop-like paradigm. Using spatially structured natural scenes, counterbalanced stimuli placement, and well-powered studies, we minimized previous confounds. Across five experiments, we tested the congruency effect between physical distance and other distance dimensions. Results showed that only temporal, but neither social nor hypothetical distance, maps onto spatial distance, challenging the notion that all psychological distance dimensions share a unified process. This re-examination is crucial for validating the assumptions of CLT and ensuring robust, interpretable findings in psychological distance research. Implications and future directions are discussed.