Instant Gratification

We live in a world with an insatiable appetite for the here and now.  In almost every interaction, speed is at a premium and valued greatly.

But we all know intuitively that sometimes there is a greater reward when we exhibit some patience.  Psychologists and sociologists have put this notion to the test in a famous experiment known as the Marshmallow Experiment.

The setup is quite simple - put a child into an empty room with a delicious marshmallow.  You then tell the child he/she is free to eat it, but if they wait and don’t eat the marshmallow, you will give them an additional marshmallow when you return.

Some believe the child’s ability to defer this instant gratification is a personality trait which is a predictor of life success and emotional intelligence.  I’ve often heard about this experiment but never seen it acted out…until now.  Pretty funny to see how powerfully the kids are battling the need for instant gratification.

Oh, The Temptation from Steve V on Vimeo.

(found this via Andrew)