Cognitive person variables in the delay of gratification of older children at risk.

Abstract

The components of self-regulation were analyzed, extending the self-imposed delay of gratification paradigm to older children with social adjustment problems. Delay behavior was related to a network of conceptually relevant cognitive person variables, consisting of attention deployment strategies during delay, knowledge of delay rules, and intelligence. A positive relationship was demonstrated between concurrent indexes of intelligence, attention deployment, and actual delay time. Moreover, attention deployment, measured as an individual differences variable during the delay process, had a direct, positive effect on delay behavior. Specifically, as the duration of delay and the frustration of the situation increased, children who spent a higher proportion of the time distracting themselves from the tempting elements of the delay situation were able to delay longer. The effect of attention deployment on delay behavior was significant even when age, intelligence, and delay rule knowledge were controlled. Likewise, delay rule knowledge significantly predicted delay time, even when age, attention deployment, and intelligence were controlled.

Prediction of children's academic competence from their effortful control, relationships, and classroom participation.

“…Findings that preschoolers' delay of gratification predicts future verbal intellectual ability and SAT scores provide some evidence that the relations between regulatory abilities and academic competence persist over time (Rodriguez, Mischel, & Shoda, 1989;Shoda, Mischel, & Peake, 1990). Moreover, some data indicate that the relations between EC and academic competence are similar cross-ethnically.…”

Three ways to resist temptation: The independent contributions of executive attention, inhibitory control, and affect regulation to the impulse control of eating behavior

“…Drawing on self-regulation research, there appear to be at least three separable factors pertaining to attentional, inhibitory, and affect-regulatory mechanisms, respectively. First, earlier work on delay of gratification has identified the ability to control attention as an important factor in resisting temptation (Peake, Hebl, & Mischel, 2002;Rodriguez, Mischel, & Shoda, 1989). Correspondingly, recent research has established that low executive attention (i.e., the domain-free ability to control attention, Engle, 2002) is associated with a larger impact of impulses on selfregulatory behavior (Hofmann, Gschwendner, Friese, Wiers, & Schmitt, in press;Thush et al, 2008).…”

Delay of gratification in young adults with Down syndrome

“…Rodriguez, Mischel and Shoda (1989) found an association between receptive language and waiting time in a self-imposed delay task in children with no developmental delay but who had social adjustment and impulse control problems. Vaughn, Kopp and Krakow (1984) found a similar association for externally imposed waiting in young typically developing children.…”

“…These questions are based on procedures used by Mischel and Mischel (1983) and subsequently by Rodriguez, et al (1989). Young adults were asked to respond to three questions that assessed preference for rewards covered versus rewards exposed during waiting period; preference for an abstract versus consummatory strategy; and preference for a task oriented versus consummatory strategy.…”