If They Won’t Know, I Won’t Wait: Anticipated Social Consequences Drive Children’s Performance on Self-Control Tasks
Fengling Ma,
Xinxin Gu,
Linghui Tang
et al.
Abstract:This research evaluated the hypothesis that the act of offering an incentive produces anticipated social benefits that are distinct from the benefits associated with the incentive itself. Across three preregistered studies, 3- to 5-year-old children in China (total N = 210) were given an opportunity to wait for an additional sticker (Studies 1 and 3) or an edible treat (Study 2). Rewards were dispensed via a timer-controlled box that allowed the experimenter’s apparent ability to learn how long children waited… Show more
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