title: Departures from optimality when pursuing multiple approach or avoidance goals.
abstract: This article examines how people depart from optimality during multiple-goal pursuit. The authors operationalized optimality using dynamic programming, which is a mathematical model used to calculate expected value in multistage decisions. Drawing on prospect theory, they predicted that people are risk-averse when pursuing approach goals and are therefore more likely to prioritize the goal in the best position than the dynamic programming model suggests is optimal. The authors predicted that people are risk-seeking when pursuing avoidance goals and are therefore more likely to prioritize the goal in the worst position than is optimal. These predictions were supported by results from an experimental paradigm in which participants made a series of prioritization decisions while pursuing either 2 approach or 2 avoidance goals. This research demonstrates the usefulness of using decision-making theories and normative models to understand multiple-goal pursuit. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Business School, University of Western Australia.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ballard
authors.affiliation: Business School, University of Western Australia.
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Western Australia.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farrell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012309:Risk-Taking; D055815:Young Adult