The marshmallow test is a psychological assessment designed to observe how children delay gratification. It involves presenting a child with a choice between receiving one marshmallow immediately or waiting for a period of time, typically a few hours or until the experimenter returns (often around 15 minutes), to receive two marshmallows. This test has been used for decades by psychologists.
Methodology
In a typical setup, a child is left alone in a room with a desk, a plate, and a single marshmallow. They are informed that they can eat the marshmallow at any time. However, if they wait until the experimenter comes back, they will receive a second marshmallow. The duration the child is left alone can vary, but it is often around 15 minutes. The focus of the observation is whether the children can resist the immediate temptation of the marshmallow. During this period, children may exhibit various behaviours as they grapple with the temptation, and the state of the uneaten marshmallow might change.
Findings and Implications
The choices children make in the marshmallow test have been found to correlate with various aspects of their later life. Research tracking participants over decades has indicated that children who choose to wait for the two marshmallows tend to be more successful in life. They have been observed to have a lower divorce rate, higher income, and higher status in society compared to those who opt for the immediate reward.
The test is not considered a matter of passing or failing, but rather an observation of a child's ability to exert self-control and delay gratification. The capacity to resist the immediate gratification of the marshmallow can offer a glimpse into children's ability to control their impulses. This ability tends to develop around the time of kindergarten and can be linked to other outcomes later in life, including academic success such as literacy and SAT scores.
The ability to delay gratification highlights a key difference between humans and animals. Humans possess an understanding of time and the future, allowing them to imagine and plan for future rewards, unlike animals who primarily live in the present. This ability to map and simulate the future is linked to intelligence. While taking shortcuts and seeking immediate gratification might seem appealing, the capacity to hold out for a greater reward in the future is often associated with long-term success.