LiteratureBase
Garon, N. M., Longard, J., Bryson, S. E., & Moore, C. (2012). Making decisions about now and later: Development of future-oriented self-control. Cognitive Development, 27(3), 314–322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2012.05.003
Abstract
- This study explored factors underlying preschoolers’ ability to make future-oriented choices. In a delay-of-gratification choice task, quantity and visibility of the reward was systematically varied. Participants included 90 typically developing children aged 2-4 years. Children made more choices to delay gratification as the quantity of the reward increased from 1 to 4 stickers, but covering the reward did not have an effect. The study extends previous findings on delay of gratification choice tasks in suggesting a developmental pattern beginning with an early appearing ” hot” motivational system. Having children think about the present self versus the future self presumably activates a second ” cool” representational system. Age differences in the development of this system and its integration with the motivational system may be at the heart of the ” U” shaped function observed in the present work, one in which simpler abilities underlying self-control develop in parallel and integrate to produce more complex behaviour. The study thus contributes to our understanding of the development of future-oriented self-control, a milestone central to socialization and the definition of the self. © 2012 Elsevier Inc..
- Concepts Control, Development of behavior, Future thinking/mental time travel, Inhibition
- Relevant research methods Behavioral research/Psychology
