Abstract
According to goal-shielding theory, after activating the pursuit of a valued goal, individuals automatically inhibit cues that lead to the activation of alternative goals. This suggests that inhibition of alternative goals plays a significant role in the process of goal pursuit. The present study investigated whether a goal-shielding effect was particularly pronounced in individuals with high dispositional optimism. College students (N=164) participated in Study 1, in which the pursuit of a valued goal (academic achievement) was activated, and participants were asked to rate its importance. The college students (N=196) participating in Study 2 first described a current goal to which they were either strongly or weakly committed. The participants in both studies were also asked to list other attributes that they were currently trying to develop. The results indicated that the individuals with high disposition optimism were likely to inhibit alternative goals when they attached high importance to an initial goal. These findings suggest that highly optimistic individual inhibit alternative goals, and that this plays a valuable role in the process of goal pursuit.
