Step 1 :Given a confidence level of $86 \%$, this leaves $14 \%$ of the data in the tails of the distribution. This $14 \%$ is split evenly between the two tails, so we have $7 \%$ in each tail.
Step 2 :The value of $\alpha$ is the area in the tails, so $\alpha = 0.14$. Therefore, $\alpha / 2 = 0.07$.
Step 3 :We want to find the $z$-score that leaves an area of $0.07$ in the upper tail of the standard normal distribution.
Step 4 :We can use the standard normal distribution table or a calculator with a function for the standard normal distribution to find this $z$-score.
Step 5 :Looking up $1 - 0.07 = 0.93$ in the standard normal distribution table, we find a $z$-score of approximately $1.48$.
Step 6 :Therefore, the critical value $z_{\alpha / 2}$ needed to construct a confidence interval with level $86 \%$ is approximately $1.48$.
Step 7 :Checking our result, we see that a $z$-score of $1.48$ does indeed leave an area of $0.07$ in the upper tail of the standard normal distribution, so our result meets the requirements of the problem.
Step 8 :So, the critical value $z_{\alpha / 2}$ needed to construct a confidence interval with level $86 \%$ is approximately $1.48$ (rounded to two decimal places).
Step 9 :\(\boxed{1.48}\) is the final answer.