Construal-level change during a day: how time of day influences individuals’ construal levels

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine how time of day influences consumers’ construal levels. The authors propose that time of day reflects cognitive resource availability, which in turn shapes individuals’ information processing strategies and leads to diurnal shifts in construal levels. Design/methodology/approach – The authors examined individuals’ construal levels multiple times throughout the day using either a within- or between-subjects design. Specifically, the authors conducted three experimental studies in the USA and South Korea. The authors also used Google search data from Denmark and Greece to support the experimental findings. Findings – Results showed that individuals exhibited lower construal levels later in the day, evidenced by behavioral identification form measures, online text searches and the words used in writing. The authors further demonstrated that depleted cognitive resources drove this diurnal shift in construal levels. Furthermore, the authors showed that this shift influenced consumer preferences for hedonic versus utilitarian products. Research limitations/implications – This study has a few limitations worth noting. While the authors did not incorporate individual chronotypes, which may shape time-of-day (TOD) effects, the focus remained on generalizable patterns. Cultural influences on construal levels were also not directly examined. Additionally, the findings regarding hedonic versus utilitarian choices point to opportunities for further research on how TOD interacts with cognitive states and product types, particularly concerning immediate versus delayed gratification and resource availability. Practical implications – Marketers can enhance effectiveness by aligning campaigns with time-of-day shifts in consumers’ construal levels. Scheduling promotions and messages according to these diurnal patterns can improve engagement and purchasing outcomes. Originality/value – This study provides novel insights into the time-of-day effect on construal levels. The current findings suggest that marketers can optimize their strategies by aligning marketing initiatives with the diurnal shifts in construal levels to enhance consumers engagement.