The Marshmallow Task

Authors

• Laurel A. Brabson, West Virginia University
• Hannah M. Coffey, West Virginia University
• Mary Margaret Ruckle, West Virginia University
• Cheryl B. McNeil, West Virginia UniversityFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

4-25-2025

Keywords

behavior, delayed gratification, impulse control, childhood, marshmallow test

Disciplines

Child Psychology | Developmental Psychology | Experimental Analysis of Behavior

Abstract

To study the human systems of self-control during delayed gratification, Dr. Walter Mischel and colleagues developed what became the famous Marshmallow Test, published in Science in 1989. This study became a frontrunner in the field of psychology, laying the foundation for future studies in impulse control. Dr. Mischel was born in 1930 in Vienna, Austria. He was a professor at the University of Colorado, Harvard University, and Stanford University where he originally conducted the Marshmallow Test. Dr. Mischel currently holds a professorship at Columbia University.

Recommended Citation

Brabson, Laurel A.; Coffey, Hannah M.; Ruckle, Mary Margaret; and McNeil, Cheryl B., "The Marshmallow Task" (2025). Essays in Developmental Psychology. 123.
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/edp/123