Don't eat the marshmallow

Post Reply New Topic

Seems like there's some brain wiring that makes one more successful in later life and that can be tested for with a marshmallow:

http://www.ted.com/talks/joachim_de_pos ... w_yet.html

Also available on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0yhHKWUa0g

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_m ... experiment

Followup study this year with some interesting MRI results:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 160220.htm

Previous mention at WrongPlanet:

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt135064.html

interesting...! thx 4 that

I would not have eaten the marshmallow. I was terrified of getting in trouble.

The marshmallow would have been safe from me, too -- I've always hated them. The texture is a big turn-off. My niece loves peeps, but I can't stand them. Cute kids, though.

I'm a hoarder by nature. I'd probably work a deal to wait even longer and get 10 bonus marshmallows, which I'd then save and never eat, just in case the world's marshmallow factories all shut down.

Interesting, but one small factor is not addressed by the "experiment."

They should have asked the kids if they even wanted a second one before they left them alone. When I was that age, I distinctly remember I never, ever wanted more than one marshmallow at a time.

Isn't it possible that at least some of them didn't care anything about the second one?

And, is it possible that some, if not all, that did not care about the second, may also have been successful later on?

These questions aren't addressed at all.

Not that the point isn't valid. I think it is. I just would be more interested had they gone into more depth with it. Success principles are not always as simplistic as so many make them out to be.

If the ability to delay instant gratification is directly related to success, it may not bode well for the human race, at least in the developed world.

Instant gratification is a way of life now, as compared to the distant past.

It started I think, with Coca Cola. Nothing much more gratifying than sugar, or caffeine, perhaps except for cocaine, and at least they took that part out.

No doubt instant gratification changes the way the brain works through neuroplasticity, in my opinion.

Now the potential is unlimited, online pornography takes it to a brand new level, for some.

The cautious, sometimes introverted are suggested to have more sensitivity to dopamine in the reward center of the brain. Those individuals may have a bit more resistance to instant gratification than others.

Intermittent gratification is said to be the most powerful motivator of them all. Opportunity at instant gratification, may not be such a good thing, but it is present for many now, in our cultures, the way we live.

As far as marshmellows go, I've never really like them, texture or taste; I might of resisted the first attempt, if someone offered one to me as a child.

marshmallows

What about the authority factor? When I was that age, having an adult tell me "don't eat the marshmallow" was enough to make me leave it alone, even without the promise of a second marshmallow.

Interesting how many people don't like marshmellows in the thread; seemed like I was the only one in the group, growing up that didn't like them. Texture and marshmellows; that was the hardest part for me.

not one mention of Smores or Fluffernutter ?

I don't think I would've understood that it was edible. I never had much interests in sweets/candy when I was really young. But I'm guessing they wouldn't pick children for an experiment if they didn't know what marshmallows were.