How do people construe objects when being observed?

Abstract

The current research aims to explore how people construe objects when being observed (vs. in a private context). Using different manipulations of observation and measures of construal, we demonstrate that people are more likely to apply higher-level construals when observed than in a private context (Studies 1-3); this effect holds when controlling for arousal level (Study 2) and is obtained under conditions of observation but not the mere presence of others (Study 3). Studies 4-6 explore the underlying mechanism of this effect: adopting the perspectives of others in the presence of observers. Study 4 demonstrates that when observed, people align their own preferences to their inference of the preferences of others, but this effect is not present in a private context. In Study 5, a mediation analysis suggests that individuals prefer the high-level option when observed because they adopt the perspectives of others. In addition, the link between context and construal level is broken when participants are explicitly asked to focus on their own perspective when observed or to adopt the perspectives of others in a private context (Study 6). Finally, Study 7 examines implications for evaluation of gifts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).