The Power of Delayed GratificationĪs the years rolled on and the children grew up, the researchers conducted follow up studies and tracked each child’s progress in a number of areas. Published in 1972, this popular study became known as The Marshmallow Experiment, but it wasn’t the treat that made it famous. And finally, a few of the children did manage to wait the entire time. Others wiggled and bounced and scooted in their chairs as they tried to restrain themselves, but eventually gave in to temptation a few minutes later. Some kids jumped up and ate the first marshmallow as soon as the researcher closed the door. The researcher left the room for 15 minutes.Īs you can imagine, the footage of the children waiting alone in the room was rather entertaining. So the choice was simple: one treat right now or two treats later. However, if the child decided to eat the first one before the researcher came back, then they would not get a second marshmallow. The researcher told the child that he was going to leave the room and that if the child did not eat the marshmallow while he was away, then they would be rewarded with a second marshmallow. The experiment began by bringing each child into a private room, sitting them down in a chair, and placing a marshmallow on the table in front of them.Īt this point, the researcher offered a deal to the child. Let’s talk about what happened and, more importantly, how you can use it. In the 1960s, a Stanford professor named Walter Mischel began conducting a series of important psychological studies.ĭuring his experiments, Mischel and his team tested hundreds of children - most of them around the ages of 4 and 5 years old - and revealed what is now believed to be one of the most important characteristics for success in health, work, and life.

The Marshmallow Test by Walter Mischel