And being a bit of a jerk.
A recent study has shown a strong correlation (possibly a causation, but that argument still lacks meat) between self-control as a child and success in life.
The test was basically this: a kid and a researcher would sit around a table in small room. The table would have a bounty of treats between the kid and the researcher. The coat would give the kid a marshmallow. Then he would make an offer: I will leave the room and leave this bell with you. If you wait 15 minutes without eating the marshmallow, you get to choose another treat from the heap you have in front of you. If you can’t wait and want to eat the marshmallow, ring the bell and I will come back so you eat it. If you ring the bell, you cannot get another treat.
Simple enough. Some kids couldn’t wait and rang the bell. Some kids just stuffed their face with the marshmallow as soon as the coat left. Some kids looked to around to see if anyone was looking and ate a cookie, hoping to end up with three treats. Some kids actually waited and ate their two treats, in accordance with the rules. These kids were called the “high-delayers.” From The New Yorker:
Once Mischel [the lead researcher] began analyzing the results, he noticed that low delayers, the children who rang the bell quickly, seemed more likely to have behavioral problems, both in school and at home. They got lower S.A.T. scores. They struggled in stressful situations, often had trouble paying attention, and found it difficult to maintain friendships. The child who could wait fifteen minutes had an S.A.T. score that was, on average, two hundred and ten points higher than that of the kid who could wait only thirty seconds.
Tease your kids with a Twinkie. You are sending them to college.
You might want to check these out, too:
Tags: children · Psychology · self-control · successNo Comments
0 responses so far ↓