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Joachim De Posada Talks About Delayed Gratification

Posted by samzenpus on from the a-bird-in-hand dept.

grrlscientist writes "Here is a short talk in which Joachim de Posada shares a landmark experiment on delayed gratification — and how it can predict future success. With priceless video of kids trying their hardest not to eat their marshmallow."

10 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. mmm... Marshmallos by Q-Hack! · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The question now becomes: Can you teach this concept of self discipline to kids or are they born with it? To say that the kid who eats the marshmallow won't be successful is a bit misleading. I know for a fact that I would have eaten the marshmallow at that age. However, I was a 'B' student in school, I have a good career and a loving family. I don't live pay check to pay check. I would say I have succeeded in life.

    --
    Some days I get the sinking feeling Orwell was an optimist.
    1. Re:mmm... Marshmallos by hypergreatthing · · Score: 2, Insightful

      success is very subjective. Can't really measure it and can't really perform any tests to determine it.

    2. Re:mmm... Marshmallos by schon · · Score: 5, Insightful

      To say that the kid who eats the marshmallow won't be successful is a bit misleading.

      It's also a mischaracterization of what's said in the video.

      If you watch the video, he says that 100% of the children who didn't succumb were successful students, but that 80% of the ones who did were having school problems.

      So nobody is saying that if you ate it you won't be successful (just that you're less likely to be), and nobody is saying that you wouldn't be successful in life, but in school.

      So your post really has nothing whatsoever to do with the article, or any of the statements or claims within.

    3. Re:mmm... Marshmallos by DrLang21 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The whole conclusions seem bunk to me. One of their classic cases of a kid who couldn't wait "Craig, meanwhile, moved to Los Angeles and has spent his career doing âoeall kinds of thingsâ in the entertainment industry, mostly in production."
      I know people who would sell their own mother's soul to work in production. It sounds like in spite of the study's conclusions, he's doing just fine.

      --
      I see the glass as full with a FoS of 2.
  2. If you'd like to read more about this by smellsofbikes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There's a neat article in The New Yorker, about teaching self-control that discusses the marshmallow experiment in considerable detail. What I thought was interesting was that the original experiment was just to see how children dealt with self-control issues, but the psychologist realized, half a dozen years later, in talking to his children (who were part of the experiment) that the kids who had done well in the original experiment were doing much better in school than the kids who hadn't done well, and from that realization he managed to come up with a whole different group of observations and experiments. He ended up showing that there's evidence if you teach children how to distract themselves to increase their sense of self-control, you give them lifelong benefits in terms of decision-making, and those benefits show up in better grades, better jobs, and better health.

    --
    Nostalgia's not what it used to be.
  3. And if you don't like marshmallows? by Toe,+The · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I had seen this previously, and always thought there was a flaw in the experiment...

    I would have done very well in this simply because as a kid, I didn't really like marshmallows. Roasted on a fire, maybe... but raw? I could let that sit for as long as they wanted.

    Fact is, the researchers didn't have a good enough budget. They got away with cheaping out on a couple bags of marshmallows instead of investing in some more sure-fire chocolate bars.

    Then again, if somebody said I can't have a marshmallow, I might want it more... :)

    1. Re:And if you don't like marshmallows? by Toe,+The · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If that's the case, then the conclusion would be: "Delayed gratification is a good indicator of future success, for people who like marshmallows." :P

  4. Idle by MyLongNickName · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why is this in idle? This is actually an intelligent study worthy of reading. I would prefer the NYT article than the video, but overall this should be front page.

    Now give me that damn marshmallow.

    --
    See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
  5. The most "successful" people are... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    the ones who can take their own immediate gratification, while inducing others to delay gratification, and then use this to their long-term advantage. E.g. Wall Street

  6. Re:It's that old saying by jedidiah · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You have really no control over the "reward". Sure you can satisfy the terms of some "promise" that you are going to get that marshmallow. OTOH, the one that's right in front of you is something that can be trusted on.

    The problem of depending on someone giving you something rather than going out and getting it for yourself.

    Complaint trusting people certainly can be expected to do better in a simulated factory/army environment (school).

    --
    A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.