The effects of age, positive affect induction, and instructions on children's delay of gratification

Abstract

In two experiments children were subjected to a delay of gratification procedure in which higher levels of reward were contingent upon the maintenance of waiting behavior. In Experiment 1 positive affect induction facilitated delay behavior in 8-year-olds but not in 4-year-olds. However, delay behavior in the 4-year-old children was facilitated by a treatment combining positive affect induction with specific instructions to maintain positive thinking. This pattern of results was replicated in Experiment 2, but, in addition, waiting times were found to relate to the type of strategy reported by the children in the waiting test. Longer waiting times were associated with motoric activity and distractive cognition.