Casey et al (2011) Flashcards
What was the background of this study?
The Marshmallow Test: group of 4 year old children were told that they could have one marshmallow now but if they can hold off from eating the first marshmallow for 15 mins they could have two marshmallows.
- conducted in the 1960s in America
- children that couldn’t wait were ‘low delayers’
- children that waited were ‘high delayers’
What is the ability to delay gratification?
The ability to resist a small award now in favour of a greater reward in the future
What was the aim for Study 1?
Casey wanted to find out whether people who had difficulties delaying gratification at the age of 4 would still have difficulties delaying gratification 40 years later
What was the sample for Study 1?
-59 people: 27 low delayers, 32 high delayers
-All aged 44
-All participated in the original Marshmallow test in the 1960’s
What was the procedure for Study 1?
-Participants were shown a series of faces on a laptop computer
-‘Cool’ version: the faces were neutral
-‘Hot’ version: the faces were happy or fearful
-Participants have a button in front of them to press when they saw a particular expression on a persons face (go/nogo)
-Participants were told to push the button when they saw a fearful face and hold back when they saw a happy face
-This was how their ability to delay gratification was tested
What were the findings of Study 1 and what conclusion did they suggest?
-The high delayers from the marshmallow test were found to be much better at resisting pressing the ‘go’ baton when they saw the happy faces than the low delayers
-This suggests the ability to delay gratification is a relatively stable characteristic within people
What was the aim of Study 2?
If there was a brain-based explanation for the ability to delay gratification
What was the sample of Study 2?
27 of the participants from the first study
-11 Low delayers
-15 high delayers
What was the procedure of Study 2?
Participants repeated the go/nogo task, but with an fMRI scanner
What were the findings/conclusions of Study 2?
-When the low-delayers saw the happy faces they had less activity than the high delayers in their inferior frontal gyrus (regulating and controlling behaviour)
-Low delayers had more activity in their ventral striatum (associated with rewards)
-Concluded that differences between people in their ability to show self-control and delay gratification are related to neurobiological differences
