Marshmallow Test

Mastering Self-Control

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Walter Mischel: Marshmallow Test (2014, Little Brown & Company)

English language

Published Dec. 29, 2014 by Little Brown & Company.

ISBN:
978-1-322-15143-4
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4 stars (4 reviews)

"Renowned psychologist Walter Mischel, designer of the famous Marshmallow Test, explains what self-control is and how to master it. A child is presented with a marshmallow and given a choice: Eat this one now, or wait and enjoy two later. What will she do? And what are the implications for her behavior later in life? The world's leading expert on self-control, Walter Mischel has proven that the ability to delay gratification is critical for a successful life, predicting higher SAT scores, better social and cognitive functioning, a healthier lifestyle and a greater sense of self-worth. But is willpower prewired, or can it be taught? In The Marshmallow Test, Mischel explains how self-control can be mastered and applied to challenges in everyday life--from weight control to quitting smoking, overcoming heartbreak, making major decisions, and planning for retirement. With profound implications for the choices we make in parenting, education, public policy and …

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Review of 'Marshmallow Test' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Interesting book about the mechanisms of self-control, and how the success of kids who display self-control (by being able to resist eating a marshmallow for long enough to earn two) predicts future success to a great extent. See the short TED talk for the basics of the first experiment: www.ted.com/talks/joachim_de_posada_says_don_t_eat_the_marshmallow_yet?language=en

The first part of the book describes the original experiments and how tracking the children showed those who ate the marshmallow were much more likely to have addiction or similar problems as adults, while those who were able to wait long enough to earn two marshmallows scored higher in tests, had more success in school and careers, etc. The correlation is extremely high.

The second and third parts of the book look at more practical applications of what the researchers learned, such as ways in which to teach your children (or yourself) better self-control, and how these are learned behaviors; …

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4 stars