Stanford Marshmallow Test and Self-Control Study

• 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.

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.