Podcast
Questions and Answers
What were the long-term benefits displayed by children who waited for the second marshmallow in the Stanford Marshmallow Test?
What were the long-term benefits displayed by children who waited for the second marshmallow in the Stanford Marshmallow Test?
better cognitive abilities, lower substance abuse, fewer obesity issues, and better social skills as teenagers
How did psychologists explain the delay in gratification observed in the Stanford Marshmallow Test?
How did psychologists explain the delay in gratification observed in the Stanford Marshmallow Test?
using the hot-cool system of thinking, which separates cognitive ability to consider long-term benefits from impulsive behavior influenced by instant rewards
What did a more recent study question about the impact of self-control on success, and what did it find?
What did a more recent study question about the impact of self-control on success, and what did it find?
questioned the impact of self-control on success by focusing on social and economic factors, particularly the mother's educational background. It found that children from wealthier backgrounds were more likely to practice self-control and that self-control was not a significant predictor of success when accounting for these factors.
Study Notes
- In the 1960s, a psychological study known as the Stanford Marshmallow Test was conducted on preschool-aged children.
- The test presented a child with a marshmallow, informing them that if they waited for the researcher's return, they would receive an additional marshmallow.
- The researchers recorded which children ate the marshmallow immediately and which ones waited.
- When the children grew up, researchers assessed their cognitive abilities, stress handling, self-control, and academic performance.
- Children who waited for the second marshmallow displayed better cognitive abilities, lower substance abuse, fewer obesity issues, and better social skills as teenagers.
- The study identified a link between self-control in childhood and success in adulthood.
- Psychologists explained the delay in gratification using the hot-cool system of thinking, which separates cognitive ability to consider long-term benefits from impulsive behavior influenced by instant rewards.
- A more recent study questioned the impact of self-control on success by focusing on social and economic factors, particularly the mother's educational background.
- The researchers found that children from wealthier backgrounds were more likely to practice self-control and that self-control was not a significant predictor of success when accounting for these factors.
- Other studies have suggested that scarcity or lack of resources influences a child's ability to practice self-control and wait for rewards.
- People can resist temptation longer when they remove the choice, such as throwing away food or selling a gaming console.
- The Stanford Marshmallow Test has undergone criticism as part of the replication crisis in psychology, where some experiments' results do not hold up to modern tests.
- Despite criticisms, self-control plays a role in behavior and potentially success, but researchers continue to explore how it influences other personality traits and factors.
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Description
Explore the Stanford Marshmallow Test and the link between self-control in childhood and success in adulthood. Discover how self-control influences cognitive abilities, stress handling, social skills, and other personality traits. Delve into the impact of social and economic factors on self-control and success, as well as the criticisms and ongoing research in this area.
