Construal level theory (CLT) offers a valuable framework to explain the mechanisms that trigger evaluations, predictions, and behaviors by linking the degree of mental abstraction (the construal level) to psychological distance. CLT-related research has produced numerous publications in a variety of domains, impeding an ongoing overview of the research field and limiting its advancement. Addressing this concern, our paper presents the results of a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of CLT-related research. This analysis identifies leading authors and the networks in which they operate. We find that a well-connected, stable core of prominent authors predominantly shaped CLT research and was responsible for its expansion. In addition, we used topic modeling to identify latent topics and research trends, with the results showing that CLT research has expanded into more interdisciplinary and applied contexts. Specifically, although CLT's relevance for consumer research has amplified and applications in areas such as climate change and sustainability have surged, the classic areas of CLT research, such as planning fallacy and impulse control, have lost momentum. Building upon the results of our topic analysis, we identify future research paths and specifically call for a more comprehensive societal focus in CLT-related research.

中文翻译：

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映射丛林：对解释水平理论研究的文献计量分析

解释水平理论 (CLT) 提供了一个有价值的框架，通过将心理抽象程度（解释水平）与心理距离联系起来，来解释触发评估、预测和行为的机制。CLT 相关研究在各个领域发表了大量出版物，阻碍了对研究领域的持续概述并限制了其进步。为了解决这个问题，我们的论文提出了对 CLT 相关研究进行综合文献计量分析的结果。该分析确定了主要作者及其运作的网络。我们发现，由著名作者组成的联系紧密、稳定的核心主要塑造了 CLT 研究，并负责其扩展。此外，我们使用主题建模来识别潜在主题和研究趋势，结果表明，CLT 研究已扩展到更多跨学科和应用领域。具体而言，尽管 CLT 与消费者研究的相关性已经扩大，并且在气候变化和可持续性等领域的应用激增，但 CLT 研究的经典领域，如计划谬误和冲动控制，已经失去了动力。基于我们的主题分析结果，我们确定了未来的研究路径，并特别呼吁在 CLT 相关研究中更加全面地关注社会。