It's a wrap for impulse at Christmas

December 2022
by Mervin Straughan



When Christmas Day arrives, do the presents lie under the tree with their wrapping intact or has
curiosity or instant gratification won the day? 

A light-hearted question? Not really. The answer might provide an insight into how likely we'll succeed in life. Research shows that being able to control our impulses boosts resilience which helps with achievement.

In 1968, Walter Mischel carried out what's become known as the Marshmallow Experiment at Stanford University.

Working with pre-school four-year-olds, Mischel and his team brought each child into a room and put a marshmallow on a table in front of them. The child was told they could eat it but if they waited until the researcher returned to the room after twenty minutes, they would receive another.

Mischel identified three groups of children:
  • Those who ate the marshmallow immediately
  • Those who held off a while but eventually gave in
  • Those who were able to resist by covering their eyes, busying themselves in play or singing to themselves
Around 14 years later and into adolescence, the youngsters who had given into temptation were compared to those who had resisted.

RESILIENCE
The research team established that the one-marshmallow youngsters had lower resilience levels. They were more likely to buckle under pressure, had temper issues and had less-developed social abilities. They were also risk averse.

In contrast, the two-marshmallow youngsters were better adjusted, more dependable and academically superior, scoring around 20 per cent higher in schools tests

This ability to curb our impulses is often referred to as either deferred or delayed gratification.

Daniel Goleman, the name behind the hugely successful books Emotional Intelligence, Working with Emotional Intelligence and Vital Lies, Simple Truths suggests that impulse control is an important part of emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage the emotions of ourselves and others. Being able to curb our disruptive and destabilising emotions and impulses helps us to remain calm, make better decisions and maintain our effectiveness in challenging situations.

So, ditch the desire to rip the wrapping off before Christmas Day. 

Deferring gratification is a gifted opportunity.