Psychol Sci July 2018 PMID 29799765

Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes.

Tyler W Watts, Greg J Duncan, Haonan Quan

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Mentions

220

Peak: 36 in Jul 2019

across 6 sources since Oct 2018

Extended reach

399,348

potential audience

Total likes

3,716

Video views

93,980

Mentions per month

Oct 2018 – May 2025

Where it's discussed

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Blogs28 articles
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YouTube7 videos
Bluesky1 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Several discussions highlight the findings of the publication, particularly the limited impact of delaying gratification on later achievements, with phrases like 'much weaker predictor' and 'larger socioeconomic and family dynamics play a more pivotal role.' The tone across the discussions ranges from critical to inquisitive, indicating a thoughtful consideration of the study's implications.

AgreementModerate agreement

Many discussions have acknowledged the article's findings about the limited correlation between delay of gratification and later success.

InterestHigh interest

The posts reflect a strong curiosity about the implications of the study, as evidenced by sharing and summarizing points.

EngagementModerate engagement

While some posts delve into deeper critiques and nuances of the study, others simply agree or summarize its conclusions.

ImpactHigh impact

There is a belief that the study significantly challenges existing notions about self-control and socioeconomic factors in determining success.

Abstract in brief

The study replicated the original marshmallow test to examine the relationship between a child's ability to delay gratification at age 4 and their later achievements and behaviors during adolescence.
The findings indicated that while waiting an additional minute correlated with slightly higher achievement, this effect was reduced significantly when accounting for family background, cognitive ability, and home environment.
Additionally, the influence of delay time on behavioral outcomes at age 15 was minimal and not consistently statistically significant.

Read the full abstract

All mentions

Marshmallow Test: Delay of Gratification and Success Explained

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BrainCraft · Oct 22, 2018 52,988 views

Impact of Delayed Gratification on Children's Future Success

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PsyCuriosity · Jul 24, 2021 9,204 views

Limitations of the Marshmallow Test in Predicting Future Success

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SocialNeuro · Oct 5, 2023 4,082 views

Psychology of Willpower and Habit Change Explained

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Matheus Milan Professor · Oct 26, 2022 480 views

The Science of Self-Control and Delay of Gratification

This episode examines research on self-control and the ability to delay gratification. While waiting for more marshmallows may correlate with a brighter future, findings suggest that family background and cognitive…

ABA Inside Track · Dec 22, 2021 399 views

December 2021 Preview: Exploring Behavioral Research Topics

In December, we release seven episodes, featuring discussions on memory with Dr. Dave Palmer and collaboration in therapy with Dr. Michael Roberts. The content also includes insights into self-control research, and our…

ABA Inside Track · Dec 1, 2021 96 views

Martin Ward

@RealMartinRWard · X

@ZyanBizBoost 2018 replication by Watts et al. found that early delay of gratification correlated only weakly with adolescent outcomes after accounting for family background and cognitive ability https://t.co/qvu28u0w7P

May 10, 2025 · 2 likes · 252 followers View post →

みなぎ

@ex_minagi · X

Feb 8, 2025 · 4 likes · 885 followers View post →

tokatti

@tokatti_ · X

マシュマロを7分より多く待てた子どもは、成長してから学校の成績がよく、数学の能力も高い傾向があった両親の教育レベルと経済状況を組み込むとマシュマロテストの効果が消えた https://t.co/KwvZ3NnS4L 食い違いが出た理由セルフコントロール能力が何か統一されてない

Jan 30, 2025 · 179 followers View post →

マルコムKKO田信長(弱者男性) │松尾・岩澤研究室宋可欣 │ 坂本忠文さんをお招きする会

@Die_liberal_ · X

RT @philomyu: 有名なマシュマロ実験、追試で家庭の社会経済学的属性で調整したら「マシュマロ我慢できる力」と成長後の学業成績の関連がほぼ消えたっていう研究がつい先々週出てる！こういう手間のかかる研究成果をきちんと追試するっていう土壌があるの素晴らしいな。https:/…

Jan 10, 2025 · 119 shares · 570 followers View post →

Lora Kolodny

@lorak.bsky.social · Bluesky

This is another good read - pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC... Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes

Dec 5, 2024 View post →

ohmohm

@ohmohm · X

RT @SteveStuWill: Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: Ability to delay gratification at age 4 is a much weaker predictor of academic achieveme…

Sep 1, 2024 · 137 shares · 3,754 followers View post →

Palash Davé

@palashdave · X

RT @nicholaraihani: More recent work on self control has shown that it largely *reflects* socio-economic status - intervening to increase i…

Aug 1, 2024 · 3 shares · 1,646 followers View post →

Hu Chuan-Peng | @hcp4715.bsky.social

@hcp4715 · X

RT @nicholaraihani: More recent work on self control has shown that it largely *reflects* socio-economic status - intervening to increase i…

Aug 1, 2024 · 3 shares · 2,547 followers View post →

Legion

@dialecticalrum · X

RT @nicholaraihani: More recent work on self control has shown that it largely *reflects* socio-economic status - intervening to increase i…

Aug 1, 2024 · 3 shares · 362 followers View post →

Prof Nichola Raihani

@nicholaraihani · X

Aug 1, 2024 · 33 likes · 3 shares · 10,086 followers View post →

大森保英

@y_omori · X

「マシュマロ実験の追試を始めます」場所はガザ地区です。被験者は1860人です。 ⬇️ たぶん全員食べちゃうでしょう Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes - PMC https://t.co/e9Pj7JkFFe https://t.co/UyvJTrTUc3

Jul 7, 2024 · 1 like · 487 followers View post →

Stef Benstead

@StefBenstead · X

Some marshmallow test references: Watts et al (2018) Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes. Psychological Science 29(7) https://t.co/x0uc2yCuqi

Jun 24, 2024 · 1,103 followers View post →

EvilCat

@Evilkatto · X

@slenchy Sorry, I didn't find a link to the study in this article Social/economic studies should be taken with a grain of salt: you can often find contradictory studies, both well-cited. I, too, base my views on studies, e.g https://t.co/7bu8OIkJUo You should look at UBI studies, though

Jun 12, 2024 · 466 followers View post →

Misha

@mishamonahov · X

Расходимся, пацаны https://t.co/5jJhhHvaSX

Jun 1, 2024 · 1 like · 41 followers View post →

Sangeeta Motiani

@sangmotiani · X

@GessnerJosh While delay of gratification has been broadly emphasized, the researchers argue that larger socioeconomic and family dynamics play a more pivotal role in shaping life outcomes than solely this specific cognitive skill honed in childhood. https://t.co/kmeHv2bAjE

Mar 26, 2024 · 289 followers View post →

Unai Aso | Psicólogo Sanitario

@unaiaso · X

Watts, T. W., Duncan, G. J., & Quan, H. (2018). Revisiting the marshmallow test: A conceptual replication investigating links between early delay of gratification and later outcomes. Psychological science, 29(7), 1159-1177.

Dec 19, 2023 · 1 like · 2,268 followers View post →

Alaska

@Alaska74073229 · X

Nov 5, 2023 · 3 likes · 661 followers View post →

erolgoka

@erolgoka · X

@mkemalsayar @fikirturu Öyleymiş hocam, sağolsun @cokbasit hocamız makaleyi gönderdi. https://t.co/JrHNyxEg4L

Oct 26, 2023 · 4 likes · 114,719 followers View post →

All Files&News

@AllFilesNews1 · X

Commentary: Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes https://t.co/WwyJR4FQfk

Aug 23, 2022 · 116 followers View post →

Yavuz B. Taktak

@yavuzbtaktak · X

ve çocuklar kısa süreli ödülleri daha çok talep ediyor. Ancak yeni deney Mischel'in deneyindeki gibi ileriye dönük (daha başarılı bir kariyer) bir tahminde bulunmanın mümkün olmadığını söylüyor. (2018: https://t.co/10QlcoJ5cR). https://t.co/OtSWYzcN6x

Jun 12, 2022 · 173 followers View post →

いちご無双

@musou1500 · X

Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes - Tyler W. Watts, Greg J. Duncan, Haonan Quan, 2018 https://t.co/y7sPya3tfV

Apr 15, 2022 · 789 followers View post →

藤田尚弓

@akujyo · X

マシュマロを我慢できた子は将来成功するという、マシュマロ実験。追試で否定されてたみたい。結局、家庭環境と経済力…… https://t.co/7jazxYFZAH

Feb 20, 2022 · 2 likes · 1,636 followers View post →

ChoralsScholar

@ChoralsScholar · X

RT @Noahpinion: A lot of economists think the Marshmallow Test is a measure of patience/time preference/discount rates. Some see it as a me…

Jan 16, 2022 · 66 shares · 1,356 followers View post →

Pavel Nosikov

@barca1 · X

What wide-known pieces of wisdom are flawed? THREAD. 1. Marshmallow test. People all over the world believe that the ability to abstain contributes to later success while enlargening the number of children tested proves that is it not the case. https://t.co/JPOCeXaREM

Oct 18, 2021 · 36 followers View post →

宇佐美潤

@UsamiJun · X

RT @goando: 子供の頃の自制心が将来の成功を左右するという有名な「マシュマロ実験」も2018年の実験で再現に失敗している。 Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating…

Aug 23, 2021 · 21 shares · 3,604 followers View post →

凡夫

@satoriANDbosatu · X

マシュマロテスト　追試 https://t.co/WZFTqr84V5

Jul 15, 2021 · 77 followers View post →

anamavalenzuela

@anamavalenzuela · X

@Ilustrado8 @pitiklinov Ah pues es el mismo del enlace mira: https://t.co/nHWNUR9xOl.

Apr 23, 2021 · 1 like · 892 followers View post →

neuropsych

@neuropsychfacts · X

Revisiting the #MarshmallowExperiment Children's #socioeconomic status is likely the causal variable in their future success, not self-control. The effect size of #selfcontrol was reduced by two thirds when controlling for factors like home environment. https://t.co/NeK8eSy3aT

Nov 21, 2020 · 121 followers View post →

BBB

@project_bbb · X

『Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes』 https://t.co/dciCWqVfv4

Nov 11, 2020 · 2 likes · 21,731 followers View post →

Gökçe Başbuğ

@BasbugGokce · X

@buraksaltoglu “Affluence –not willpower-seems to be what’s behind some kids’ capacity to delay gratification”. https://t.co/jpd4ZDwH8s https://t.co/buVI1MLN6d

Aug 25, 2020 · 3,275 followers View post →

圧到的に成長したぬーとりあはかぴばらと区別できないですわ（極悪令嬢・圧ヌ一ちゃん）

@piyota0 · X

Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes https://t.co/wQN29g3jMm Webofknowledgeで55回引用の高被引用論文となっている。2018年にマシュマロテストを否定した論文。再現性問題に一石を投じた。

Jun 10, 2020 · 2,777 followers View post →

Taylor McFarland

@TRMcFar · X

@flatlacroix @LanceJagerson Original study: https://t.co/FoSPF0trZi Replication: https://t.co/oVU50tjsjE

Feb 23, 2020 · 36 likes · 1 share · 561 followers View post →

HDFS UGA

@HDFSatUGA · X

RT @JamieLarsH: Looks like @PsychScience has a bit of a feud about delay of gratification (aka "the Marshmellow Test") and Later Outcomes;…

Jan 9, 2020 · 7 shares · 213 followers View post →

Sian Beilock

@sianbeilock · X

RT @JamieLarsH: Looks like @PsychScience has a bit of a feud about delay of gratification (aka "the Marshmellow Test") and Later Outcomes;…

Jan 8, 2020 · 7 shares · 8,641 followers View post →

Gilad Feldman

@giladfeldman · X

RT @JamieLarsH: Looks like @PsychScience has a bit of a feud about delay of gratification (aka "the Marshmellow Test") and Later Outcomes;…

Jan 8, 2020 · 7 shares · 6,050 followers View post →

CLaE

@leafs_s · X

RT @JamieLarsH: Looks like @PsychScience has a bit of a feud about delay of gratification (aka "the Marshmellow Test") and Later Outcomes;…

Jan 8, 2020 · 7 shares · 28,060 followers View post →

Assaf Oshri (אסף אושרי)

@AssafOshri · X

RT @JamieLarsH: Looks like @PsychScience has a bit of a feud about delay of gratification (aka "the Marshmellow Test") and Later Outcomes;…

Jan 7, 2020 · 7 shares · 850 followers View post →

Nicole McNeil

@NicoleMMcNeil · X

RT @JamieLarsH: Looks like @PsychScience has a bit of a feud about delay of gratification (aka "the Marshmellow Test") and Later Outcomes;…

Jan 7, 2020 · 7 shares · 1,674 followers View post →

Dr. Jennifer Silvers

@JASilvers · X

RT @JamieLarsH: Looks like @PsychScience has a bit of a feud about delay of gratification (aka "the Marshmellow Test") and Later Outcomes;…

Jan 7, 2020 · 7 shares · 4,385 followers View post →

EIJI｜『進化教育学研究室』

@evopeda_ek · X

マシュマロ実験を否定した研究はこちら↓ Tyler W. Watts, Greg J. Duncan and Haonan Quan(2018).Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes.

Dec 21, 2019 · 2,306 followers View post →

Jesús M González Barahona (ES)

@jgbarah2 · X

@hruizmartin Seguramente conocerás "Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes", Tyler W. Watts, Greg J. Duncan, Haonan Quan. Psychological Science (2018) https://t.co/j3sRmZfUFW https://t.co/Mc15HtsSCr

Dec 15, 2019 · 1 like · 451 followers View post →

Jorge Barreno

@JbBarreno · X

En primer lugar, en relación con el autocontrol y estudio de Mischel, hay evidencias posteriores de que los efectos podrían ser mucho menores y que incluso podrían desaparecer con algunos controles, como la capacidad cognitiva. https://t.co/lQpz1tUghB

Dec 15, 2019 · 561 followers View post →

うたか

@utk_hrs · X

マシュマロテストに家庭環境が関係してたかもデータ気力があれば後で読む Revisiting the Marshmallow Test: A Conceptual Replication Investigating Links Between Early Delay of Gratification and Later Outcomes - Tyler W. Watts, Greg J. Duncan, Haonan Quan, 2018 https://t.co/pDbLzobmAV

Oct 28, 2019 · 1 like · 143 followers View post →

Skeptoidius

@Skeptoidius · X

@laurascasanova @FITrebelde He dejado de leer cuando pone como ejemplo el estudio con marshmallows. Fue un bluf. https://t.co/fN8fwSDwXn

Sep 2, 2019 · 120 followers View post →

ibtlj.eth

@designerkath · X

RT @Noahpinion: A lot of economists think the Marshmallow Test is a measure of patience/time preference/discount rates. Some see it as a me…

Aug 3, 2019 · 66 shares · 2,027 followers View post →

えて虎

@Fruits_of_Lotus · X