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| The Marshmallow Test Revisited |
84. Lewis reports that Walter Mischel's research that shows how a small child's ability to wait a few minutes without a treat in order to receive a greater treat later correlates with IQ and family circumstances, and, later on in life, high scores on standardized tests, positive sense of self worth, lower levels of body fat, and greater likelihood to suffer from some addiction.
Do you think this study suggests that success is a reflection of character (i.e., will power, self-discipline)?
Does Mischel's research suggest that "family circumstance" correlates with character? If economically stable families produce children who are more likely to resist temptation to eat a marshmallow, what does that tell us about the "character" and the future potential for success of a three-year-old from a less economically stable family? Does it teach us something about their character? Or does it teach us more about the enduring effects of poverty and other forms of instability on their behavior?
Walter Mischel Bonus:
Click here to watch a short video from NPR in which Walter Mischel says his Marshmallow Test research has been misunderstood.
Here's another video in which Dr. Mischel talks about his research.
From my time in band, I’ve noticed that certain character traits indicate higher rates of success, both in band activities and academics. I can’t speak as to whether the home life of any particular bandmate was good or bad, but self-discipline is a highly-valued trait in most endeavors. When it comes to family circumstances, obviously a strong and supportive family will make a difference in a child’s thinking. But I believe that most character traits are like muscles, in that they become stronger the more you exercise them. Exposing yourself to new ways of thinking and practicing difficult decisions makes you better in those situations.
ReplyDeleteI think that the family circumstances a child is exposed to do partly shape their character. From my experience playing tennis, I have observed from my teammates that the ones who have an active support system and have families who come to every game are the ones who are usually more successful and care more about actually winning. The others who have nobody to play for seem to have less confidence and perseverance, which by default makes them less successful. Through these experiences, we are shown that although people are not successful, they are just a product of their environment and the lack of success is not always a reflection of character. I believe that our views reflect the people who are around us, but that we ourselves are able to change these traits later in life.
ReplyDelete-Olivia Watters
I think that character traits like self-discipline are developed when someone has the motivation and drive to become better.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little, my parents had to teach me how to be patient. After all, being patient isn’t something children are immediately able to do. I don’t think it’s necessarily a reflection of character with being successful. After all, children are just children. Granted, some situations, like poverty, cause people given opportunities to seize them while they have the chance. A child who’s offered a marshmallow but told if they wait they get a second might not eat the marshmallow immediately. But if they have a poor situation and can’t afford marshmallows normally, they’ll be more inclined to eat said marshmallow. I don’t think their family situation completely correlates with character. After all, a child is still a child, and there’s plenty of children in good family situations that have terrible patience.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. Being the daughter of two public school teachers, I hear lots of stories. Sometimes these stories are sad because some of their best, brightest, and often sweetest students are the most poor and attention deprived. Many of these kids are grateful for what they get and take advantage of it while it is still there. Many students who have not experienced poverty find themselves not ever needing anything and can trust that a meal or snack will be provided when they are hungry.
Delete-Zoie Newman
I strongly believe that family circumstances correlate with a person’s character. Now don’t get me wrong, I do think there is always an exception to the rule, but as a general consensus I would say who you are or are not has everything to do with your environment as a child. This is based on my own opinion that we as humans are all inherently bad. None are good on their own, so when a child is in an environment that fosters to goodness and success, it is more likely for them to grow in that direction then it is for a child who is brought up in a poor environment. This teaches us tremendous things about the lasting effects of poverty, childhood trauma, and other difficulties children face. With this information we all have a responsibility to do whatever we can to protect our children. It is our duty as humans to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
ReplyDelete