The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control

Delightful and informative followup to the Radiolab episode.

I enjoyed reading this book largely because it gave a bit more insight into the studies and follow-up studies and results of the psychological studies into self control. If you're coming into this book after reading other books on willpower, self control, and grit, you're not going to hear much of anything new as far as approaches. What I like about the book is how it delves more into the academic studies and some of the real-world results, with clearer connections between what they found in the studies (yes, there were multiple studies over the decades into delay of gratification by many investigators, which is another thing I liked) and the follow-ups. It helps that the author is one of the investigators who carried out the oft-mentioned “marshmallow test,” and I think that helps add some insight. He looks at the various findings and adds his insight (including a brief comment on the whole “willpower is a muscle and tires” idea).

Read if you're interested in some more details on the findings and the connections Mischel and others found to delay of gratification and success later in life. He explains how genes and environment combined have influence on individual's self control, and how delay of gratification can have ripple effects in other areas of life. But he also makes it clear that while change is possible, it is the desire of the individual that makes a difference.

I've lately been quite taken with the idea that one of the biggest secrets of an ultimately happy life is
the development of self-control. If you haven't heard about this fascinating study, let me sum it up
for you: Children are taken to an isolated room and presented with one marshmallow. If the child is
willing to wait for a time period until the researcher returns to the room and is able to avoid eating
the one marshmallow, he will be given two marshmallows. Some children could do it; some could
not. It was interesting to read about the extreme measures some children took in order to avoid
eating the single marshmallow until the researcher returned. Many years later, the same children
were again assessed, this time as adults. Those children who had delayed gratification were found
to be much more successful in completing schooling, in marrying, in raising children, and in life in
general. Remarkable.

Mischel tells the story of his original research and examines where the research has led and
where it is continuing to go. And it has led to some breathtaking places. Idle Grasshoppers
and Busy Ants. Thinking Hot and Cold. Protecting the Hurt Self: Self-Distancing. Will Fatigue. And
on and on.

I loved reading this book. Now if we can just figure out some good ways to teach children how
to wait for those two marshmallows we could have a better world.