The impact of reduced visibility caused by air pollution on construal level

Abstract

Abstract Although ample research has recognized air pollution as a severe threat to human health and emotion, little research has been conducted on its impact on consumers' information‐processing style. This study explores the effect of reduced visibility caused by air pollution on the construal level adopted by consumers. Specifically, we document how low visibility caused by air pollution makes people more inclined to adopt an abstract mindset, whereas high visibility on a clean day makes people more inclined to adopt a concrete mindset. Across a set of three field studies and one laboratory experiment, we employ alternate measures of construal level: behavioral identification index (Studies 1 and 4) and categorization task (Study 2). Our research provides empirical evidence of the proposed effect and rules out alternative explanations. Additionally, as a downstream consequence, reduced visibility due to air pollution causes individuals to favor desirability over feasibility in product trade‐offs (Study 3). Our findings shed new light on construal level theory from an ecological perspective and provide meaningful marketing suggestions.