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Kids These Days! Increasing delay of gratification ability over the past 50 years in children

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  • Protzko, John

Abstract

Have children's ability to delay gratification decreased since the past? We analyze the past 50 years of data on the Marshmallow test of delay of gratification; where children must wait to get two preferred treats of their choosing; if they cannot wait, they only get one. Here we provide comprehensive evidence on whether children's ability to delay gratification has truly been decreasing, as theories of technology or a culture of instant gratification have predicted. Before analyzing the data, we polled 260 experts in cognitive development, 84% of who believed children are getting worse or are no different than those of the past. Contrary to this prediction, we show delay of gratification times are increasing over the past 50 years, corresponding to a fifth of a standard deviation increase in ability per decade. This mirrors the magnitude of secular gains in IQ seen over decades.

Suggested Citation

  • Protzko, John, 2020. "Kids These Days! Increasing delay of gratification ability over the past 50 years in children," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intell:v:80:y:2020:i:c:s0160289620300295
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2020.101451
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wongupparaj, Peera & Wongupparaj, Rangsirat & Kumari, Veena & Morris, Robin G., 2017. "The Flynn effect for verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory: A cross-temporal meta-analysis," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 71-80.
    2. Da Silva, Sergio & Moreira, Bruno & Da Costa Jr, Newton, 2014. "2D:4D Digit Ratio Predicts Delay of Gratification in Preschoolers," MPRA Paper 60570, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Peter Turchin, 2010. "Political instability may be a contributor in the coming decade," Nature, Nature, vol. 463(7281), pages 608-608, February.
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    1. Woodley of Menie, Michael A. & Peñaherrera-Aguirre, Mateo & Sarraf, Matthew A., 2022. "Signs of a Flynn effect in rodents? Secular differentiation of the manifold of general cognitive ability in laboratory mice (Mus musculus) and Norwegian rats (Rattus norvegicus) over a century—Results," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    2. Egeland, Jonathan, 2022. "The ups and downs of intelligence: The co-occurrence model and its associated research program," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).

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