Abstract: Power is psychologically defined as the ability to influence others. Both theoretical and empirical studies indicated that the sense of power influenced one’s cognitive process and behavioral consequence in the goal pursuit process. Regarding to one’s cognition, the person with high power might process information on a more abstract level, and keep a better attentional maintenance and distribution. As for behavioral consequences, the person with high power was able to set goals more decisively and take actions more steadily as well. It was predicted that the type of self-regulation might serve as the mediator in the relationship between power and goal pursuit.

Key words: power, goal pursuit, the approach-avoidance theory of power, self-regulation, regulatory focus theory