MAG_AP_Q2-2017_V6

ACCESS POINT MAGAZINE - JULY 2017 - ISSUE # 003
THE MARSHMALLOW TEST
What can a marshmallow tell you about your kids? You’d be
surprised!
The Marshmallow Test is a study in psychology by Stanford professor
Walter Mischels. The subjects of the experiment were nursery school
students who were offered to choose a marshmallow and eat it right
away or wait for 15 minutes until the experimenter returned. If they
waited, they would get an extra treat. The kids were tracked over time
and some interesting observations were made. Mischels found that the
kids, who had resisted temptation and waited for a better deal, grew to
be healthier, professionally more successful and had stable relationshipsoverall,
they led a better quality life. The first follow-up study done in
1988 showed that preschool children, who delayed gratification, were
described more than 10 years later by their parents as adolescents who
were significantly more competent. A second follow-up study, in 1990,
showed that the ability to delay gratification also correlated with higher
SAT scores. The conclusion is that self control, patience and ability to
restrain one’s impulses from the immediate urges of self gratification
are important factors for success and a fulfilling life. Mischel concluded
that the kids who resisted temptation used “strategic allocation of
attention”: Instead of getting obsessed with the marshmallow -- the
“hot stimulus” -- the patient children distracted themselves by covering
their eyes, pretending to play hide-and-seek underneath the desk, or
singing songs from “Sesame Street.” Their desire wasn’t defeated -- it
was merely forgotten. “If you’re thinking about the marshmallow and
how delicious it is, then you’re going to eat it,” Mischel says. “The key
is to avoid thinking about it in the first place.” The key is trading shortterm
gratifications for long term goals. In some normal situations, it’s
easy to see that self control is essential for success. For instance, the will
to resist the temptation of going to a movie with friends and studying
instead for an upcoming examination would lead to better grades.
Today, people increasingly feel driven to check and post updates on
Social Media platforms, at the cost of other more productive works.
Those Social Media platforms could well be your marshmallow.
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