- Construal refers to how people interpret, perceive, and make sense of situations, events, or stimuli. It’s about the “lens” or mental framework through which we view the world. - It's one of the reasons why we so often find ourselves in negative spirals --- Construal is like a kind of focus. As you look out at the social scene, what snaps to attention? If you’re anything like me, one of the most powerful guides is whatever could pose a risk to you, could threaten you. If you’re walk­ing through a forest where a tiger is said to prowl, you might hear that tiger in every rustle of leaves, see it in every sway of reeds. But in the social world, we don’t all face the same threats. That’s why when you’re new at work and nervous about your place you might hear snark in your boss’s voice, but not if it’s your old friend. A friend once told me of an ingenious class demonstration that helped her begin to understand this process. A professor split the class in two and then spoke to the first half alone, telling them of his love for travel and a recent trip to Libya. Next, he spoke to the second half about shopping and how hard it was to find the right size shoe. Last, he brought the class together and said a single word. He asked the students to write it down. Students in the first group wrote, “Tripoli.” Those in the second wrote, “Triple E.” https://behavioralscientist.org/why-we-spiral/