the experiment or marshmallow test is a study of the field of psychology conducted by scientists Walter Mischel and Ebbe B. Ebbesen during the 1970s at Stanford University in the United States.
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The result of the studies associated the resistance in consuming candy to the development of certain essential life skills, such as self-control and improved performance on tests.
How does the Marshmallow Quiz work?
The experiment brings together a series of studies in psychology and was applied to children with the objective of evaluating the strength of willingness or ability of the little ones to give up the satisfaction of an immediate pleasure in exchange for a reward future.
The dynamic of the test consists of taking the child to a space where there is a table full of candies, cookies, chocolates and all kinds of sweets, such as marshmallow, responsible for the test's fame.
Soon after, the researchers present a proposal for the child: if she managed to wait in the room alone, for fifteen minutes, without eating any sweets, after everyone returned to the room she would win two. However, if the child asked to leave the room before the stipulated period or if he/she ate the candy, the double reward was not applied.
Willpower and Success
The results of the experiments led researchers to associate willpower and self-control with success. That's because psychologists followed the children for a few decades and made interesting discoveries, such as the improvement in academic performance for those who knew how to wait for the double reward.
In addition to the improvement in studies, research shows that postponing immediate pleasure had an effect on other areas of minors' lives, such as relationships. better and happier, less substance abuse and criminality, lower obesity and better stress management effective.
Importance of self-control
The Marshmallow test makes it clear that self-control can be beneficial to our lives. Thus, it is important to learn to manage your emotions, build long-term plans and not get carried away by the satisfaction of immediate pleasure. This posture can result in a happier life in a healthier body.