Recent research has further explored the impact of social interdependence on children’s ability to delay gratification, building on the classic marshmallow test. A notable study conducted in 2020 involved German researchers who reinterpreted this experiment using Oreos and vanilla cookies with schoolchildren from Germany and Kenya. In their setup, both children could earn a second cookie by waiting to eat their treat. If either child chose not to wait, neither received the additional cookie. The findings indicated that children exhibited a greater capacity for delaying gratification when they were reliant on one another, differing from outcomes observed in traditional marshmallow tests.
An Online Experiment
Rebecca Koomen, a psychologist affiliated with the University of Manchester, played a key role in the 2020 study and has now contributed to a new investigation that seeks to expand upon those insights. This latest study enlisted 66 children from the UK, aged 5 to 6, with a focus on how a promise from a partner to refrain from eating their favorite treat could foster enough trust to delay gratification. The researchers examined the social risk inherent in the possibility of one or both partners breaking that promise. As many parents would attest, children in this age group place a high value on promises, a sentiment supported by scientific findings that suggest promises can enhance cooperative behavior among young children.
In a novel approach, Koomen and her colleagues conducted their marshmallow test online, comparing its effectiveness to traditional laboratory-based experiments. Previous online studies have yielded mixed results. “In light of face-to-face testing restrictions due to the COVID pandemic, this marks the first cooperative marshmallow study conducted online, contributing to the growing body of evidence regarding the validity of remote testing methods,” the researchers noted.
Parents selected the type of treat for their child, ensuring it was a favorite—choices included chocolate, candy, biscuits, and marshmallows, with a few opting for potato chips, fruit, and nuts. The experiment required parents to prepare a quiet environment free from distractions, complete with a webcam to monitor the proceedings. Each participating child viewed a video of a “confederate child,” who either explicitly promised not to eat their treat or ambiguously hinted at the possibility of eating it. In both scenarios, the confederate child refrained from eating, although the participant remained unaware of this.
