The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has brought about unprecedented challenges to public health. Compounding these hardships is the fact that typical social functions such as maintaining valued relationships cannot proceed as usual. Social cognitive perspectives like that presented by Construal Level Theory (CLT) can provide a valuable framework for understanding our unique interpersonal experiences during this difficult time, and potentially offer avenues for adaptation and healthier coping. I begin by introducing CLT and follow with a discussion of its implications for understanding the psychological effects of social distancing on our interpersonal relationships and pursuit of social goals. I describe how abstract and concrete construals can affect our experiences of maintaining close relationships that vary widely in terms of geographic distance or separation. CLT can offer insight not only into how geographic distance or closeness may shape our thoughts and feelings about our close others, but also how we approach pursuing goals that are directly or indirectly shaped by these close others. The more effectively we can frame and communicate about experiences during this challenging time in history, the better equipped we may be to support our public health apparatus and satisfy our psychological needs.

中文翻译：

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心理距离与大流行：解释水平理论和关系科学的见解


2019年冠状病毒病大流行给公共卫生带来了前所未有的挑战。使这些困难更加复杂的是，维持有价值的关系等典型的社会功能无法照常进行。解释水平理论（CLT）提出的社会认知视角可以为理解我们在这个困难时期独特的人际经历提供一个有价值的框架，并有可能提供适应和更健康应对的途径。我首先介绍 CLT，然后讨论它对于理解社交距离对我们人际关系和追求社会目标的心理影响的影响。我描述了抽象和具体的解释如何影响我们维持亲密关系的体验，而这些关系在地理距离或分离方面差异很大。 CLT 不仅可以帮助我们了解地理距离或亲密程度如何影响我们对亲密他人的想法和感受，还可以帮助我们了解我们如何追求由这些亲密他人直接或间接塑造的目标。在这个历史上充满挑战的时期，我们越能有效地构建和交流经验，我们就越有能力支持我们的公共卫生机构并满足我们的心理需求。