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

[Aldon Hynes]

As I read the brief write up of the study, I had to wonder about the age old
issue of correlation versus causation.  As an example, is it the
self-control that leads to greater success later on?  I can imagine how that
could be the case.

However, I had to stop and wonder.  Were the parents that were teaching
their children self-control at age 4 also more involved and teaching them
many other skills which contributed as much, if not more, to self control.
Was it even simply that those children that had learned self control at age
4, learned it because of greater parental involvement, and we all know that
parental involvement is a key signifier in future success.

My random thoughts on a Sunday morning.

Aldon
  -----Original Message-----
  From: youth-list-bounces at lists.ctvoices.org
[mailto:youth-list-bounces at lists.ctvoices.org]On Behalf Of JMRab at aol.com
  Sent: Sunday, January 07, 2007 5:30 AM
  To: eceinfo at lists.cahs.org; youth-list at ctvoices.org
  Cc: DWATSON at bridgeportedu.net; merle at thewaytocare.org;
jbgconsulting at yahoo.com; KSaint at schwerdtle.com
  Subject: [Youth-list] Another study of note AND a comment


  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



  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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.ctvoices.org/pipermail/youth-list-ctvoices.org/attachments/20070107/c5b14dfe/attachment.html