Final answer:
Alison is exhibiting the ability to delay gratification, which is the decision to forgo a short-term pleasure or reward in order to gain a more significant and long-lasting reward in the future, as researched by Walter Mischel.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alison is demonstrating her tendency to delay gratification. This concept, studied extensively by psychologist Walter Mischel, pertains to the capacity to resist an immediate reward in favor of receiving a larger or more enduring reward at a later time. Mischel’s work, including the well-known marshmallow test, has shown that the ability to delay gratification is associated with a range of positive life outcomes, such as better academic performance, more stable relationships, and higher levels of self-control. In the scenario presented, Alison chooses to focus on her long-term goal of getting into graduate school, which aligns with the findings of Mischel's research on self-regulation and delayed gratification.