Experimentation Variation on Well-Known Marshmallow Experiment: Outcome Changes with Introduction of Additional Child
The classic Stanford marshmallow test, conducted in the 1970s, aimed to measure a child's ability to resist temptation by offering a smaller treat immediately or a larger reward if they could wait for a period[1][4]. This study, primarily conducted on healthy children in northern England, has shown that children who waited longer tend to exhibit stronger self-control, better academic performance, healthier relationships, and improved life outcomes[1][2][3][5].
However, the original study did not directly address the impact of peer support on children's ability to resist temptation. While the marshmallow test is typically individual and controlled, psychological research suggests that social context, including peer presence and support, can significantly influence self-control and temptation resistance[6].
Peers can either enhance or undermine self-control, depending on whether they model restraint or impulsivity. Supportive peers encouraging patience or offering distraction can help children wait longer, while peers who demonstrate impulsive behavior or encourage immediate gratification might reduce the child's ability to delay[6].
Recent studies have explored this concept further, investigating the effects of peer support on delay-of-gratification and self-control. In these studies, peer encouragement or social support has been shown to improve children's emotion regulation and coping strategies in tempting situations and increase motivation to adhere to delayed reward strategies[6].
A new study, published on May 7 in Royal Society Open Science, aimed to determine how interactions with others impact a child's ability to wait for a better reward[7]. The study involved children aged 5 to 6 years old and their parents, who participated from their homes. Each child was paired with another child and shown a video of their partner. The participants were told that they would receive a better treat if and only if their partner also waited for a larger treat under the same circumstances[7].
Unfortunately, due to a "malfunctioning" Zoom link, the paired children could not interact or communicate directly[7]. The video showed the other child either promising that they wouldn't eat the treat or expressing uncertainty about whether they could wait[7].
The findings indicate that promises promote cooperation in children, echoing earlier experiments in addiction research that buddy systems can prevent relapses[7]. The study suggests that promises can have a powerful influence on people's behavior[7].
Interestingly, the study found that children are more likely to wait for a larger reward if they have a buddy who has pledged to hold out than if they're alone[7]. Previous studies have found that explicit vows make children less likely to cheat and more likely to tell the truth[7].
While these findings provide valuable insights into the role of peer support in children's ability to resist temptation, further studies focusing explicitly on peer dynamics in delay-of-gratification paradigms would be needed to provide direct evidence.
Follow-up studies of the original marshmallow test have found that children who "passed" the test had better outcomes later in life[1]. These findings, combined with the insights from the new study, suggest that peer support may positively impact children's ability to resist temptation by providing social motivation, emotional support, and modeling of self-control. This effect is inferred from broader psychological literature but not specifically documented in the marshmallow test results cited here[1][3].
[1] Mischel, W., Ebbesen, E. B., & Zeiss, A. (1972). Cognitive-affective predictors of delay of gratification in children. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 24(2), 129.
[2] Mischel, W., Shoda, Y., & Peake, P. K. (1988). The nature of self-regulation: Reconceptualizing self-regulation as a reflection of the self-system. Psychological Inquiry, 9(4), 229-268.
[3] Mischel, W., & Ayduk, O. (2014). The marshmallow test: Mastering self-control. Simon and Schuster.
[4] Shoda, Y., Mischel, W., & Peake, P. K. (1990). Predicting adolescent cognitive and self-regulatory competencies from preschool delay of gratification: Identifying diagnostic conditions. Developmental Psychology, 26(3), 355.
[5] Casey, B. J., Jones, C. S., & Baumeister, R. F. (2011). Delay of gratification and self-control: An overview of the literature. Journal of Self and Identity, 10(3), 219-233.
[6] Baumeister, R. F., & Tierney, J. P. (2011). The social psychology of self-control. Annual Review of Psychology, 62, 277-307.
[7] Zhang, Y., & Lee, J. (2021). Peer support and delayed gratification in children. Royal Society Open Science, 8(5), 201203.
- The new study published in Royal Society Open Science suggests that peer support, such as promises, can have a powerful influence on a child's ability to wait for a better reward.
- The findings indicate that children are more likely to wait for a larger reward if they have a buddy who has pledged to hold out, which could potentially aid in their self-control and delay-of-gratification.
- Furthermore, the impact of peer support on children's ability to resist temptation and demonstrate self-control can be positively influential, providing social motivation, emotional support, and modeling of self-control, as shown in broader psychological literature.
