Blah blah I hog the blog and something about the Marshmallow test

Photo credit Vicki Couchman, Daily Mail Online

For my unit 14 project I’ve been looking at the education sysytem and how learning is structured. As research I watched the Horizon episode with David Baddiel called “Who do you want your child to be” (sounds like a show filled with  pushy parents and child prodigies but thats only a fraction of the episode ). I don’t know if any of you managed to catch it, it aired the 17th of March but was also availiable through BBC  iplayer.

In it I was also introduced to the Marshmallow test. Originally performed by Walter Mischel a psychology professor at Columbia university in the 1960′s. The experiments claimed to  identify a link between the ability of a 4-year-old to resist a marshmallow and their academic success as young adults.

Hundreds of 4-year-olds were tested, placed in a room one by one with a solitary marshmallow on a plate in front of them. The four year old was then told by the adult supervising them that they were free to eat said marshmellow, unless that is, they could manage to  wait 20 mins until they returned and would be rewarded with an extra marshmallow (remember these are primary school children). Needless to say some children wasted no time in sinking their teeth in, others tried in desperation to control their urge but were seduced, but perhaps more suprisingly some children managed to stay the course and were rewarded with their second marshmallow.

When Walter Mischel interviewed the participating toddlers as grown 18 year olds. Shockingly those that had been able to delay their gratification were found to be more academically successful, self-confident and socially competent. While those that didn’t, suffered from mood swings and envy.

Ok ok so perhaps it’s not a 100% fool proof test…but delayed gratification does seem to be a sound conclusion to the test. Although perhaps the biggest question is would you have eaten the marshmellow?

Here’s an intersting version of the test although I very much doubt the original included chocolate sauce (try not to be put off by the gentleman in the suit or the laughter track)

- Dee -

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