Marshmallow Test Of Success Essay

The definition of success is somewhat vague, “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose”. In the year 1968 Walter Mischel conducted the marshmallow test to see children’s abilities to control their willpower, to test if they had the ability to control urges such as the addiction to sugar. The test was used to show that a person’s willpower played a large role in their ability to be successful in academics and many other aspects of life. Is willpower truly the answer to predict one’s success? Or is it just a mere coincidence? The marshmallow test started in a room with a child from the age range of four to six, the children were given the option of either to eat the marshmallow immediately or to wait a few minutes and receive a second marshmallow. A majority of the children, “... struggled to resist the allure of the marshmallow.” (Mischel). The children that did wait created mind games to resist the sugary snack, from staring at a wall, to kicking the desk, the children that waited created a way to resist the snack knowing that they would be rewarded with a second one. Years later the children that were able to resist the marshmallow were given extensive follow up test and surveys that showed they excelled in their social lives and academics, leading happier and more successful
both behavioural problems, both in school and at home.” (Lehrer). These children struggled greatly in stressful situations, paying attention in class, and had temperamental problems as well. The further test showed that a the difference between a child that had self control and one that did not was actually quite large, from SAT scores to an IQ the child that was patient and had willpower scored much higher and was far more successful than the child that did not. These studied shed light on the science behind conscience and willpower and how important it was for a human to have it, were some of us born