AP+2016+The+Marshmallow+Test


 * THE MARSHMALLOW TEST**

Aim: The aim of the Marshmallow Test was to study self-control and delayed gratification in the human brain. The test worked as follows: children were placed in front of a plate of sweet treats, such as marshmallows. The researcher then told the child that they had to leave the room. If the child rang a bell, they were told, the researcher would come back and the child would be given a marshmallow, but if the child waited until the researcher returned, they would receive two marshmallows ("Delaying Gratification"). This experiment was used to create a “framework” about how willpower works in the brain: a “hot system,” which promotes immediate gratification and impulsive action, and a “cool system,” which is structured around planning and thought, exist in the brain. Whether one waits for a reward or takes immediate gratification is determined by which system overrides the other in decision-making. Continued study found that children who waited for the larger reward generally performed better academically and were better at planning when the subjects were reviewed years after the initial test, showing that some people have a natural tendency to give in to impulses and others are more likely to wait and plan. Even further study, decades after the test, revealed that these behavioral patterns continued throughout the subjects’ lives and that different brain patterns appeared in subjects with different strengths of impulse control. The Marshmallow Test, by studying the impulse control of children and their behavior later in life, managed to find patterns in impulse control and create a foundation for the study of willpower in the human brain. This research is the basis of nearly all modern study on the subject of impulse control and willpower.

Audience: The Marshmallow Test, as a scientific study, had an audience of psychologists and other scientists interested in the human brain and behavior. Because the study revealed crucial facts about human behavior and how willpower functions in the brain, particularly with the followup studies completed forty years after the initial Marshmallow Test, it appealed to behavioral scientists, psychologists, and neuroscientists aiming to find out how the human brain functions and its affect on willpower. The study’s findings have led to further research on impulse control and what determines how humans react to temptation. The applications of the test, however, appeal to a far wider audience. Parents, for instance, can use the findings that children with better impulse control in the Marshmallow Test were better at academics and planning later in life to teach good habits to their children. A parent could teach their child delayed gratification in hopes of influencing the child’s brain so that they will have better impulse control later in life. This psychiatric study can appeal to any audience who seeks to understand human behavior. In fact, the information can be very useful in teaching learning habits that will improve a person's quality of life through self-control.

Historical Context: The Marshmallow Test had a unique history, as it was the first groundbreaking study of willpower of its kind. The test was conducted in the 1960s by Dr. Walter Mischel. He stated that his curiosity was sparked by his little daughters: “‘I was watching this miracle that occurs when our kids ... really begin spontaneously to show dramatic changes in their ability to control their impulses,’ said Mischel, adding, ‘I realized that I didn't have a clue about what was going on in my children's heads that allowed these changes to occur and that's what I wanted to understand’" (Hadad). Human impulse control has existed since the dawn of our species. However, when Mischel became interested in the problem of what determines a person’s strength of will, there was no prior research into the subject. As such, Mischel created his simple Marshmallow Test to find patterns in children’s impulse control. His further experiments, which followed some of the children years and later decades after the test, further developed his study, showing that a person’s ability to control impulses tends to last throughout life. Mischel’s study was the first of its kind. It provided the framework for further studies of willpower and temptation in the human psyche, and the expansions to the original experiment have provided long-term data that newer studies had not managed to obtain.

Cultural Impact: The Marshmallow Test has had an immense cultural impact, particularly in the field of cognitive study. The study was groundbreaking into how the human brain functions in regard to willpower. It has come under a large amount of criticism: “ that his samples are too small or homogenous to support sweeping scientific conclusions and that the Marshmallow Test actually measures trust in authority, not…the ability to sit in a seat and reach a goal, despite obstacles” (Urist). This criticism stems from the massive impact the test had on the field of psychology and behavioral science. Its impact, however, goes beyond the scientific community. The Marshmallow Test is also frequently referenced in popular culture through t-shirts, business planning, and even references on Sesame Street. Because the experiment was the first of its kind and is easy to understand in its simplicity, it has become a classic method of testing and studying self-control and delayed gratification. Its place in science and popular culture is powerful, enduring, and will continue to be remembered for generations.

Works Cited: "Delaying Gratification." //Science// 306.5695 (2004): 3-4. American Psychological Association. Web. Hadad, Chuck. "What 'marshmallow Test' Can Teach You about Your Kids - CNN.com." //CNN//. Cable News Network, 10 July 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2016. Urist, Jacoba. "What the Marshmallow Test Really Teaches About Self-Control." //The Atlantic//. Atlantic Media Company, 24 Sept. 2014. Web. 06 Jan. 2016.