Just saw this article today on Slate. Researchers gave a group of kids a marshmallow each and told them that if they could wait to eat it for a few minutes, they would receive a second marshmallow. The study was done back in the mid 70′s and they’ve been tracking key data about these individuals who are now in their late 30s and early 40s.
The data indicates :
“…that the kids who knew how to delay gratification at age 4 tended toward higher SAT scores and social competence. As a group, they were better at planning and handling stress. And now a new study shows that all the way into adulthood, they are also less likely to be overweight or obese.”
My wife always says that I have no sense of delayed gratification. I can’t really argue. I’m not sure how I would have fared in the marshmallow test, but I’m like a big 8 year old when it comes to gadgets.
Found the article via Dave Pell’s Nextdraft newsletter