The document discusses the marshmallow experiment which studied children's ability to delay gratification. In the experiment, children were given a marshmallow and told they could eat it, but if they waited without eating it while the researcher stepped away, they would get an extra marshmallow. The experiment showed that children's ability to delay gratification, known as self-control, can be improved through strategies like imagination, distraction, self-talk, exercise, and breaking down complex tasks into smaller steps.

1. Marshmallow Experiment Background Fall 2010

2. Why is this important? What are the kids doing?

3. Delayed Gratification =Self Control or,Being Able to Say No or to Wait

4. Time Focus on the Futurevs. Focus on the Present

5. You Can Improve Your Self Control

6. Imagination Some children avoided eating the marshmallow by imagining it as something else—a cloud, a table, a chef’s hat.

7. Distraction Do other activities that make you think, so you don’t think about the candy.

8. Self-talk Hmm, just two more questions to answer, I can finish this! The messages we “speak” to ourselves in our head to influence our thinking and our actions.

9. Exercise Students engaged in regular physical activity have better self-control.

10. Breakdown complex tasks Do attention training like looking and listening for details, and observing closely for solving complex puzzles.