Jordan Peterson - The Marshmallow Test

Summary

The Marshmallow Test, conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel, examines children's ability to delay gratification by choosing between one marshmallow now or two after a delay. This test highlights the struggle between the prefrontal cortex and the hypothalamus, which governs basic drives like hunger. Children who can wait exhibit higher conscientiousness and tend to have more positive long-term outcomes. The trait is crucial for social interaction and is linked to success in Western cultures, second only to intelligence.

Takeaways

• 🍭 The Marshmallow Test is a psychological study that examines children's ability to delay gratification by choosing between one marshmallow now or two later.
• 🧠 The test highlights the struggle between the prefrontal cortex, responsible for higher cognitive functions, and the hypothalamus, which governs basic drives like hunger.
• 👶 Children's ability to delay gratification is challenging as it requires them to value a hypothetical future reward over an immediate tangible one.
• 🎥 The study observed children's behaviors, such as distraction techniques, while waiting for the potential second marshmallow.
• 🤔 The test suggests that self-control in early childhood is linked to the development of the prefrontal cortex and its ability to regulate primal motivational systems.
• 👶🏻 Children who can delay gratification tend to have better social interactions as they are less likely to exhibit impulsive behaviors like temper tantrums.
• 📈 Walter Mischel, who conducted the study, found that children who could delay gratification showed more positive long-term outcomes.
• 🔗 The ability to delay gratification is conceptually similar to the personality trait of conscientiousness, which is associated with long-term success.
• 🧠💼 In Western cultures, conscientiousness is the second-best predictor of long-term success, after intelligence, suggesting that hard work and smarts are valued for societal advancement.
• 🌐 The study's findings support the idea that societies function well when they reward individuals who contribute more through their intelligence and hard work.

Q & A

What is the Marshmallow Test?

The Marshmallow Test is a psychological experiment where children are presented with a marshmallow and given the choice to eat it immediately or wait for a reward of two marshmallows after a delay.

Who conducted the Marshmallow Test?

The Marshmallow Test was conducted by Walter Mischel, a social psychologist.

What does the Marshmallow Test measure?

The test measures the ability of children to delay gratification, which is their capacity to resist the temptation of an immediate reward for a potentially greater reward later.

How does the Marshmallow Test relate to the prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus?

The test illustrates the conflict between the higher cortical functions, such as those governed by the prefrontal cortex, and the more primal motivational systems controlled by the hypothalamus, particularly those related to hunger.

What strategies do children use to delay gratification during the Marshmallow Test?

Children use various strategies to distract themselves, such as whistling, looking away, or sitting on their hands, to avoid eating the marshmallow immediately.

What is the significance of the ability to delay gratification in children?

The ability to delay gratification is significant as it is associated with better social interactions and is a predictor of positive long-term outcomes, including success in Western cultures.

How does the Marshmallow Test relate to the trait of conscientiousness?

The ability to delay gratification in the Marshmallow Test is likely associated with the trait of conscientiousness, although the specific connection has not been firmly established.

What is the correlation between conscientiousness and long-term success?

Conscientiousness is the second-best predictor of long-term success in Western cultures, after intelligence, suggesting that hard-working and smart individuals tend to do better over time.

At what age should children typically have the ability to delay gratification?

Children should ideally have the ability to delay gratification by the age of four, as it is crucial for their social interactions and self-control.

What are the implications of the Marshmallow Test for understanding human behavior?

The Marshmallow Test provides insights into the development of self-control and the interplay between our cognitive and motivational systems, which are essential for understanding human behavior and decision-making.

How does the Marshmallow Test reflect the functioning of a meritocratic system?

The test indirectly supports the idea of a meritocratic system by showing that individuals who can delay gratification and exhibit conscientiousness, traits that are often rewarded in such systems, tend to have better long-term outcomes.

Outlines

00:00

🍭 The Marshmallow Test: Delayed Gratification in Children

The Marshmallow Test is a psychological experiment conducted on young children to study their ability to delay gratification. In the test, children are presented with a marshmallow and given the choice to eat it immediately or wait for a more extended period to receive two marshmallows. This test challenges the child to resist the immediate reward for a future, larger reward. The children's reactions vary; some give in to the temptation immediately, while others employ various strategies to distract themselves and wait for the greater reward. The study, conducted by Walter Mischel, found that children who can delay gratification tend to have more positive long-term outcomes, which may be linked to the trait of conscientiousness. This trait is considered the second-best predictor of success in Western cultures, after intelligence.

Keywords

💡Marshmallow Test

The Marshmallow Test is a psychological experiment designed to measure the ability of a child to delay gratification. In the experiment, children are offered a choice between one small reward provided immediately or two of the same reward if they wait for a certain period. The test is mentioned as a 'cool psychological study' in the script and is central to the video's theme of self-control and its long-term benefits.

💡Delay of Gratification

Delay of gratification refers to the ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward and wait for a later, more substantial reward. In the context of the video, it is illustrated through the children's choice between one marshmallow now or two marshmallows after waiting for ten minutes. The script highlights that children who can delay gratification tend to have more positive long-term outcomes.

💡Prefrontal Cortex

The prefrontal cortex is a part of the brain involved in executive functions, including decision-making, self-control, and planning. The script discusses how the prefrontal cortex is engaged when children attempt to resist the immediate reward, showing a battle between higher cognitive functions and more primal motivational systems.

💡Hypothalamic System

The hypothalamus is a region of the brain that plays a role in regulating basic drives such as hunger, thirst, and emotions. The script mentions the hypothalamic system as the part of the brain that prompts the desire for immediate gratification, such as eating the marshmallow right away.

💡Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness is a personality trait characterized by being careful, thorough, and hardworking. The video script suggests that the ability to delay gratification is likely associated with conscientiousness, as both involve self-control and the ability to work towards long-term goals over short-term desires.

💡Impulsivity

Impulsivity refers to the tendency to act without thinking about the consequences, often leading to actions that are not in one's best interest. In the script, impulsive children are those who cannot wait for the second marshmallow and choose the immediate reward, which is contrasted with the more strategic behavior of delaying gratification.

💡Neuroanatomy

Neuroanatomy is the study of the structure and organization of the nervous system. The script briefly touches on neuroanatomy when discussing the relative strength of connections between the prefrontal cortex and the hypothalamus, illustrating how the brain's structure influences behavior.

💡Meritocracy

Meritocracy is a system where people are chosen or rewarded based on their ability and merit. The script uses the term to argue that societies function well when those who are both intelligent and hardworking (conscientious) are more successful, as it suggests a fair and effective allocation of resources.

💡Self-Control

Self-control is the ability to regulate one's emotions and actions to achieve long-term goals over short-term gratification. The video script emphasizes self-control as a critical skill that emerges in children and is necessary for social interactions and success, as it allows individuals to resist immediate temptations.

💡Temper Tantrums

A temper tantrum is an outburst of anger or frustration, often seen in young children when they do not get what they want immediately. The script mentions temper tantrums as a behavior that can result from an inability to delay gratification, illustrating the social challenges faced by children who lack self-control.

Highlights

The Marshmallow Test is a psychological study involving children and self-control.

Children are presented with a marshmallow and offered a choice between one now or two if they wait.

The test measures the ability to delay gratification.

Children's reactions vary, with some eating the marshmallow immediately and others trying to wait.

The study involves a battle between the prefrontal cortex and the hypothalamic system.

Children who can delay gratification tend to have more positive long-term outcomes.

The ability to delay gratification is associated with the trait of conscientiousness.

Conscientiousness is a strong predictor of long-term success, second only to intelligence.

The study was conducted by Walter Mischel.

Children who cannot delay gratification may struggle socially.

The ability to delay gratification is crucial for interacting well with others.

Self-control is necessary to be enjoyable to play with.

The emergence of self-control can be observed in children around the ages of 2 to 4.

The study's findings have practical implications for understanding self-control in children.

High IQ and hard work are key to success in Western cultures.

The study's results are a validation of meritocratic systems.

The study suggests that hard-working, smart people tend to do better in society.

The study's findings are hopeful for the betterment of everyone in society.

Transcripts

so here's a cool psychological study so

it's called the marshmallow test and

maybe it's even a reliable study even

though it was done by social

psychologists it's probably replicable

and it's a nice study so you take small

children and you bring them into a room

and you put something that they would

like in front of them a marshmallow and

you then you torture them basically you

say see that marshmallow and the kid

thinks yeah I see that marshmallow

it's like you can have that marshmallow

right now or if you wait I think the

experiment is ten minutes then you can

have two marshmallows and so that puts

the child in quite a conundrum because

they're being asked to trade an actual

concrete tangible marshmallow for two

hypothetical future marshmallows and

it's not that easy to conjure up a

hypothetical future reality that has the

same tangible significance as something

real right in front of you and so it's

amazing thing that people can do that

and so then experimental leaves and some

children grab the marshmallow and just

you know chomp that thing down right now

other kids they videotaped kids while

they're waiting and they do all sorts of

things they whistle they look at the

ceiling they sit on their hands you know

they try to distract themselves course

they're eyeing that marshmallow like a

squirrel lying and not and and trying to

restrain themselves and you know what I

see in that is that the child's

prefrontal cortex the higher cortical

systems are warring with the underlying

motivational systems more primordial

motivational systems that govern such

things as Hunger the hunger system

hypothalamic system says there's

something sweet and fat right sitting

there right bloody now grab that thing

and stuff it down now and I'm sure many

of you have a constant battle with your

hypothalamus with regards to sweet and

fat things and often lose so you can

feel some sympathy for the child but and

the hypothalamus has these tremendously

powerful

rolls upward into the brain into the

parts that we would associate more with

voluntary control and the voluntary

control centers have these little weak

ribbons going down to control the

hypothalamus since it's pretty obvious

if you know something about neuroanatomy

what part is actually in charge when the

chips are down and it's not easy for

children to learn to regulate those

underlying primordial impulses the ones

that are wired in the ones that we share

with animals but they do it and and and

the cool thing is this is what Walter

Mischel found he's the guy who did the

study was that the long-term outcome for

the children who can delay gratification

in the marshmallow test is much more

positive than it is for the children

that are impulsive and eat the

marshmallow instantly its delay of

gratification now it's likely that

that's associated with trait

conscientiousness although that

specifically hasn't that specific

connection has not yet been established

but they seem conceptually very very

similar so so anyways this emerges and

children probably between the ages of 2

& 4 something like that they should have

it in place by four because it's very

difficult for them to really interact

well with other children without having

that delay of gratification in place

because if you can't delay gratification

other kids don't like you because you're

you want everything your way and you

want it now and your lot you're liable

to temper tantrums and that sort of

thing you haven't got the kind of

self-control necessary to make you fun

to play with so you can see that

emerging in children and it's pretty

it's pretty interesting and and not only

that if it emerges it predicts positive

long-term outcomes

just like trait conscientiousness does

by the way because trait

conscientiousness is the second best

predictor of long-term success over the

lifespan in Western cultures its second

after intelligence and so in our

societies the people who do best across

time are the people who have high IQs

and who work hard and I would say that's

a pretty decent what would you call it

it's a validation in some sense that our

cultures are working properly because

what you would want I would say if

system is working meritocratic Lee like

it should and if you're trying to

extract resources from those who can

contribute at a higher rate than what

you would want to have happen is that

the hard-working smart people do better

hopefully if that's the case then

everyone does better hopefully