[Youth-list] Another study of note AND a comment

[JMRab at aol.com]

>From Kathy Saint, CEO of  Schwerdtle, Inc: I thought this was  article might 
be interesting to those of us involved in education and for  parents and 
grandparents...  KS
 
While I see the wisdom  and accuracy of this, even with my own grandchildren, 
the advocate in me does  not wish to apply the same message to policy 
development and systems change, in  CT. Thanks, Kathy! JMG
 
The Stanford Marshmallow  Study
Delayed Gratification (Self Discipline) the Key to  Long Term Success
jes
    Stanford University  psychology researcher Michael Mischel demonstrated 
how important  self-discipline(the ability to delay immediate gratification in 
exchange  for long term goal achievement) is to lifelong success? In a 
longitudinal  study which began in the 1960s, he offered hungry 4-year-olds a  
marshmallow, but told them that if they could wait for the experimenter to  return 
after running an errand, they could have two marshmallows.  

Those who could wait the fifteen or twenty minutes for the  experimenter to 
return would be demonstrating the ability to delay  gratification and control 
impulse.     About one-third of of  the children grabbed the single marshmallow 
right away while some waited a  little longer, and about one-third were able 
to wait 15 or 20 minutes for  the researcher to return.

Years later when the children graduated  from high school, the differences 
between the two groups were dramatic:  the resisters were more positive, 
self-motivating, persistent in the face  of difficulties, and able to delay 
gratification in pursuit of their  goals. They had the habits of successful people 
which resulted in more  successful marriages, higher incomes, greater career 
satisfaction, better  health, and more fulfilling lives than most of the 
population.  


Those having grabbed the marshmallow were more troubled, stubborn and  
indecisive, mistrustful, less self-confident, and still could not put off  
gratification. They had trouble subordinating immediate impulses to achieve  long-range 
goals. When it was time to study for the big test, they tended to get  
distracted into doing activities that brought instant gratification This impulse  
followed them throughout their lives and resulted in unsuccessful marriages, low 
 job satisfaction and income, bad health, and frustrating lives. 

 
-- 
Katherine A. Saint
President
Schwerdtle, Inc.
166  Elm Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604
Tel: (203) 330-2750 ext. 138; Fax: (203)  330-2760
_http://www.schwerdtle.com_ (blocked::http://www.schwerdtle.com/)  




Janice M. Gruendel, Ph.D.
Governor's Senior Advisor on Early  Childhood
Co-Chair, CT Early Childhood Education Cabinet
Senior Youth  Consultant
United Way of CT & Office for Workforce  Competitiveness
Home office: 203-481-9940
Blackberry: 203-824-4766
Mail  to: 28 Juniper Point
Branford, CT 06405

"...I hope  you never fear those mountains in the distance, Never settle for 
the path of  least resistance..And when you get a chance to sit it out or 
dance, I hope you  dance..." Lee Ann Womack. I Hope You'll Dance
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