Level of Detail in Mental Images of Near and Far Episodes

What makes mental images high in detail? Drawing on Construal Level Theory (CLT) and Reality Monitoring Theory (RMT), we consider in six studies (N = 1,660) the effect of psychological distance on the meta-cognitive assessments of an episode’s level of detail as well as the effect of level of detail on perceived distance. Although CLT has argued for a relationship between an episode’s proximity and the degree to which it is represented concretely, and level of detail within visual imagery is an important manifestation of concreteness, research within CLT has not considered level of detail of mental images as a key outcome variable. We adapted a methodological approach advanced by RMT to examine memories to the realm of imagined scenarios. In Studies 1 to 5, participants evaluated the level of detail of proximal and distal episodes. In Study 6 participants imagined episodes with high or low level of detail and rated their perceived psychological distance. We found that distance influences meta-cognitive assessments of level of detail and is influenced by a manipulation of level of detail. We discuss the relevance of these findings for CLT, RMT, and prior work on meta-cognition, and consider the findings’ practical implications.