A meta-analysis of construal level theory variables and affect valence: The important role of context valence

The level at which people cognitively construe events and the valence of the affect they experience during the event are intertwined. Yet the literature on these relationships offers inconsistent findings. In this meta-analysis, we systematically examine how each of the two key variables from construal level theory-construal level and psychological distance-relates to affect valence. Analyzing effects from 78 articles (including 317 effect sizes from 58,270 observations), we show that, in line with our hypotheses, the pattern of effects for construal level is distinct from that for psychological distance, and context valence moderates the relationships between each construal level theory variable and affect valence. Overall, the findings demonstrate distinct patterns of relationships for construal level and psychological distance and suggest that their relationships with affect valence are moderated by the valence typically associated with the events experienced. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).