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Related Concept Videos

Self-Regulation01:25

Self-Regulation

Self-regulation, also known as self-control, encompasses a range of cognitive and behavioral processes that allow individuals to adjust their internal states and outward actions to align with socially acceptable norms and long-term goals. It plays a fundamental role in adaptive functioning, from resisting impulsive behaviors to persisting through challenging tasks. While its benefits are widely recognized, self-regulation is not limitless. Muraven and Baumeister's theory posits that...
Self-Discrepancy Theory02:45

Self-Discrepancy Theory

One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification03:00

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback01:24

Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback

Self-esteem is intricately tied to our perception of competence and our ability to exert control over our lives. One of the primary sources of this perception is performance feedback — the ongoing evaluation of our actions in terms of success and failure. According to Franks and Marolla (1976), people derive self-worth from experiencing themselves as causal agents, capable of achieving goals and overcoming obstacles. This process nurtures a critical component of self-esteem: self-efficacy,...
Protecting Self-Esteem01:27

Protecting Self-Esteem

Self-esteem, a central component of psychological well-being, is actively maintained through various cognitive and behavioral strategies. Individuals employ specific mechanisms to preserve a positive self-concept and mitigate threats to their self-worth, particularly in contexts involving social evaluation or personal feedback. Four primary techniques are commonly used to sustain self-esteem.Manipulating AppraisalsOne prominent strategy involves manipulating appraisals from others. Individuals...
Self-Awareness and Its Effects01:21

Self-Awareness and Its Effects

Self-awareness is a psychological state in which the individual becomes the focal point of their attention. This inward focus transforms the self into an object of contemplation and assessment, influencing how individuals perceive their actions and their alignment with personal and societal standards.Triggers and Contexts for Self-AwarenessSelf-awareness can be activated by external stimuli that make individuals visually or audibly aware of themselves, such as mirrors, cameras, or recordings.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
12:55

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

'Willpower' over the life span: decomposing self-regulation.

Walter Mischel1, Ozlem Ayduk, Marc G Berman

  • 1Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. wm@psych.columbia.edu

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
|September 22, 2010
PubMed
Summary

The marshmallow test, measuring delayed gratification in preschoolers, shows strong long-term prediction of social, cognitive, and mental health outcomes. This ability is linked to cognitive control strategies and neural mechanisms.

More Related Videos

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
08:09

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood

Published on: February 11, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
12:55

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
08:09

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood

Published on: February 11, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • The marshmallow test, developed in the 1960s, assesses children's ability to delay gratification.
  • Longitudinal studies over 40 years reveal significant predictive validity for life outcomes.
  • This ability is crucial for self-regulation and has lifelong implications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Review key findings from longitudinal delay-of-gratification research.
  • Examine cognitive appraisal and attention control strategies underlying delayed gratification.
  • Propose hypotheses linking delay of gratification to cognitive control and neural mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Review of longitudinal studies and earlier delay-of-gratification experiments.
  • Analysis of cognitive appraisal and attention control strategies.
  • Integration with research on cognitive control mechanisms and neural bases.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated significant predictive validity of delayed gratification for social, cognitive, and mental health outcomes.
  • Identified cognitive and attentional strategies as key components of delay ability.
  • Highlighted lifelong individual differences in self-regulatory capacity.

Conclusions:

  • Delayed gratification ability is a robust predictor of life success and well-being.
  • Understanding cognitive control mechanisms can elucidate willpower and self-regulation.
  • Further research can explore the neural underpinnings of self-regulatory differences.