Elena Stephan
Biographic Data
| ID | 4233620 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Elena Stephan |
| GIVEN NAMES | Elena |
| FAMILY NAME | Stephan |
| SIGNATURE | STEPHAN E |
| AFFILIATIONS | Bar-Ilan University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-6649-7852 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 66 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 14 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2010 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
An Association Between Speech Rate and Politeness
Four preregistered studies ( N = 369) demonstrate a relationship between speech rate and politeness: participants experienced slower (/faster) versions of a foreign-language message as more (/less) compatible with politeness (Study 1); intended to speak more slowly (/faster) to convey more (/less) politeness (Studies 2a and 2b); and read a pre-written message more slowly when intending to be more polite (Study 3). Findings show the association be…
The effect of approach and avoidance motivation on self-perception
This work addresses the link between motivation and self-perception by systematically studying visual self-representations. We propose that the way individuals perceive themselves may be associated with dispositional and situationally induced approach and avoidance motivation. First, we investigate how dispositional differences in approach/avoidance motivation and self-esteem relate to self-perception. Second, we investigate how state differences…
The true self in reflections? Visual self‐recognition and the Big Five
Typically, individuals are motivated to see themselves in a flattering light regarding their physical and personality characteristics. We suggest that visual self‐perception is anchored in the true self which is largely the self‐enhancing self, and may also reflect the privileged access to one's traits and internal states. Here, we examine the impact and limits of self‐enhancement motivation and egocentric bias on individuals’ recognition of vari…
Ostracizers’ mark of disgrace
The actor–observer difference describes the tendency to explain own actions with variable and external aspects, but others’ actions with stable and internal characteristics. We test two opposing predictions of how changes in attribution vary as a function of being ignored and excluded. On the one hand, individuals may cope by psychologically distancing themselves from sources of exclusion, potentially producing stable and internal representations…
The role of vividness of imagery in metaphor generation
Pointing to novel links between mental representation and social communication, we examine the association between vividness of imagery and use of metaphors. In a study on individual differences and three experiments, we demonstrate that vivid imagery is linked to greater use of metaphors and that this relationship is bi‐directional. We also show that this relationship is stronger in the context of negative valence. We demonstrate that vivid imag…
Self-prospection and energization
The way people envision their future (self-prospection) plays a key role in the energization required to pursue desired goals. We proposed that energization is determined by time distance from the imagined future-self and the individual’s consideration of future consequences (CFC). We hypothesized that, when imagining their distant (vs. near) future-self, individuals higher on CFC (i.e., those who construe a stronger link between present and futu…
Distant determination and near determinism
Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration
Six studies examined the nostalgia–inspiration link and its motivational implications. In Study 1, nostalgia proneness was positively associated with inspiration frequency and intensity. In Studies 2 and 3, the recollection of nostalgic (vs. ordinary) experiences increased both general inspiration and specific inspiration to engage in exploratory activities. In Study 4, serial mediational analyses supported a model in which nostalgia increases so…
Pancultural nostalgia
Nostalgia is a frequently experienced complex emotion, understood by laypersons in the United Kingdom and United States of America to (a) refer prototypically to fond, self-relevant, social memories and (b) be more pleasant (e.g., happy, warm) than unpleasant (e.g., sad, regretful). This research examined whether people across cultures conceive of nostalgia in the same way. Students in 18 countries across 5 continents (N = 1,704) rated the protot…
The mnemonic mover
In light of its role in maintaining psychological equanimity, we proposed that nostalgia--a self-relevant, social, and predominantly positive emotion--regulates avoidance and approach motivation. We advanced a model in which (a) avoidance motivation triggers nostalgia and (b) nostalgia, in turn, increases approach motivation. As a result, nostalgia counteracts the negative impact of avoidance motivation on approach motivation. Five methodological…
Mental travel into the past
This research examined construal differences evoked by mental travel to nostalgic, ordinary, or positive autobiographical events. According to the Construal Level Theory, psychologically distant events are construed with abstract terms, proximal events with concrete terms. We argue that nostalgic recollections are characterized by a unique construal pattern. Nostalgia refers to unusual and meaningful memories that are preserved, if not idealized,…
What will I be? The role of temporal perspective in predictions of affect, traits, and self-narratives
The effects of time perspective and level of construal on social distance
Politeness and psychological distance
According to politeness theory (P. Brown & S. Levinson, 1987), politeness serves to both reflect and regulate social distance. On the basis of this notion and on construal level theory (N. Liberman & Y. Trope, 2008; N. Liberman, Y. Trope, & E. Stephan, 2007), it was predicted that politeness would be related to abstract construal, temporal distance, and spatial distance. Eight studies supported this prediction. Politeness increased when the addre…
Politeness and psychological distance
According to politeness theory (P. Brown & S. Levinson, 1987), politeness serves to both reflect and regulate social distance. On the basis of this notion and on construal level theory (N. Liberman & Y. Trope, 2008; N. Liberman, Y. Trope, & E. Stephan, 2007), it was predicted that politeness would be related to abstract construal, temporal distance, and spatial distance. Eight studies supported this prediction. Politeness increased when the addre…
The effects of time perspective and level of construal on social distance
Mental travel into the past
This research examined construal differences evoked by mental travel to nostalgic, ordinary, or positive autobiographical events. According to the Construal Level Theory, psychologically distant events are construed with abstract terms, proximal events with concrete terms. We argue that nostalgic recollections are characterized by a unique construal pattern. Nostalgia refers to unusual and meaningful memories that are preserved, if not idealized,…
What will I be? The role of temporal perspective in predictions of affect, traits, and self-narratives
The effects of time perspective and level of construal on social distance
Politeness and psychological distance
According to politeness theory (P. Brown & S. Levinson, 1987), politeness serves to both reflect and regulate social distance. On the basis of this notion and on construal level theory (N. Liberman & Y. Trope, 2008; N. Liberman, Y. Trope, & E. Stephan, 2007), it was predicted that politeness would be related to abstract construal, temporal distance, and spatial distance. Eight studies supported this prediction. Politeness increased when the addre…
What will I be? The role of temporal perspective in predictions of affect, traits, and self-narratives
Mental travel into the past
This research examined construal differences evoked by mental travel to nostalgic, ordinary, or positive autobiographical events. According to the Construal Level Theory, psychologically distant events are construed with abstract terms, proximal events with concrete terms. We argue that nostalgic recollections are characterized by a unique construal pattern. Nostalgia refers to unusual and meaningful memories that are preserved, if not idealized,…
Pancultural nostalgia
Nostalgia is a frequently experienced complex emotion, understood by laypersons in the United Kingdom and United States of America to (a) refer prototypically to fond, self-relevant, social memories and (b) be more pleasant (e.g., happy, warm) than unpleasant (e.g., sad, regretful). This research examined whether people across cultures conceive of nostalgia in the same way. Students in 18 countries across 5 continents (N = 1,704) rated the protot…
The mnemonic mover
In light of its role in maintaining psychological equanimity, we proposed that nostalgia--a self-relevant, social, and predominantly positive emotion--regulates avoidance and approach motivation. We advanced a model in which (a) avoidance motivation triggers nostalgia and (b) nostalgia, in turn, increases approach motivation. As a result, nostalgia counteracts the negative impact of avoidance motivation on approach motivation. Five methodological…
Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration
Six studies examined the nostalgia–inspiration link and its motivational implications. In Study 1, nostalgia proneness was positively associated with inspiration frequency and intensity. In Studies 2 and 3, the recollection of nostalgic (vs. ordinary) experiences increased both general inspiration and specific inspiration to engage in exploratory activities. In Study 4, serial mediational analyses supported a model in which nostalgia increases so…
Distant determination and near determinism
Self-prospection and energization
The way people envision their future (self-prospection) plays a key role in the energization required to pursue desired goals. We proposed that energization is determined by time distance from the imagined future-self and the individual’s consideration of future consequences (CFC). We hypothesized that, when imagining their distant (vs. near) future-self, individuals higher on CFC (i.e., those who construe a stronger link between present and futu…
The role of vividness of imagery in metaphor generation
Pointing to novel links between mental representation and social communication, we examine the association between vividness of imagery and use of metaphors. In a study on individual differences and three experiments, we demonstrate that vivid imagery is linked to greater use of metaphors and that this relationship is bi‐directional. We also show that this relationship is stronger in the context of negative valence. We demonstrate that vivid imag…
The effect of approach and avoidance motivation on self-perception
This work addresses the link between motivation and self-perception by systematically studying visual self-representations. We propose that the way individuals perceive themselves may be associated with dispositional and situationally induced approach and avoidance motivation. First, we investigate how dispositional differences in approach/avoidance motivation and self-esteem relate to self-perception. Second, we investigate how state differences…
The true self in reflections? Visual self‐recognition and the Big Five
Typically, individuals are motivated to see themselves in a flattering light regarding their physical and personality characteristics. We suggest that visual self‐perception is anchored in the true self which is largely the self‐enhancing self, and may also reflect the privileged access to one's traits and internal states. Here, we examine the impact and limits of self‐enhancement motivation and egocentric bias on individuals’ recognition of vari…
Ostracizers’ mark of disgrace
The actor–observer difference describes the tendency to explain own actions with variable and external aspects, but others’ actions with stable and internal characteristics. We test two opposing predictions of how changes in attribution vary as a function of being ignored and excluded. On the one hand, individuals may cope by psychologically distancing themselves from sources of exclusion, potentially producing stable and internal representations…
An Association Between Speech Rate and Politeness
Four preregistered studies ( N = 369) demonstrate a relationship between speech rate and politeness: participants experienced slower (/faster) versions of a foreign-language message as more (/less) compatible with politeness (Study 1); intended to speak more slowly (/faster) to convey more (/less) politeness (Studies 2a and 2b); and read a pre-written message more slowly when intending to be more polite (Study 3). Findings show the association be…
Psychology (13 works) · Social Psychology (13 works) · Cognitive psychology (9 works) · Construal level theory (6 works) · Social Psychology (6 works) · Nostalgia and Consumer Behavior (4 works) · Perception (4 works) · Behavioral Health and Interventions (3 works) · Communication (3 works) · Construals (3 works)