The Marshmallow Experiment: It's Time For A Four Year-Olds

How long are you willing to wait for something you love? Although 15 minutes may not seem like much but for a 4 year-old it may seem like an eternity. The Marshmallow Experiment was something scientists used to see how long a young child’s impulse control was and how it corresponds to future success. When scientists caught up to the kids they used 10 years later they found that the kids who could wait usually have goals, are more behaved, and do not act impulsively. Will power plays a large role in a child’s development and success.
When scientists tested if children could wait 15 minutes without touching the tempting marshmallow, they were rewarded with two of the treats. This is important because when these scientist interviewed the subjects parents years later they found that the kids who couldn’t wait the full time have behavior problems at home and school. However, The kids who did wait had SAT scores that averaged 210 points higher than their impatient counterparts and worked well under stressful situations. There were kids who responded to delayed gratification seemed to turn out better and more successful than the kids who could not hold out for 30 seconds.
IQ scores were much higher than others and by their early 30s they were able to manage their finances and health. This may be due to the way that kids use their cognitive control. Playing games that use strategy and paying attention like Simon Says or Musical Chairs can be very helpful to a child’s development. The experiment was visited a few years after the original experiment but their was one difference, there were adults who told the kids that they had art supplies to give them. Unfortunately, only half of those kids received art supplies. The kids who received the supplies did far better than the other group where only one out of 14 waited. Having a reliable experienced changed the children’s behavior