Esperar, como dice el refrán, a veces desespera. Parece que estamos avocados a la necesidad de la gratificación inmediata ante cualquier impulso apetitivo. Nuestro valioso tiempo a veces nos hace actuar lo antes posible a pesar de que el ser paciente pueda traernos mejores consecuencias en muchas ocasiones.

Un niño, chuches, tensión asegurada… 

Este hecho lo demostró el psicólogo austríaco Walter Mischel en la Universidad de Stanford en 1972. Realizó un experimento científico para medir la fuerza de voluntad en un grupo de niños de entre 3 y 6 años y conocer su evolución en la edad adulta. Es en esta edad cuando empieza a tener sentido el futuro y aprender a controlar los impulsos en busca de un beneficio mayor. Esta destreza de autocontrol es uno de los factores que equilibrarán después nuestro rendimiento, estado de ánimo positivo y la felicidad.

Experimento

En el estudio se le ofreció a los niños entre una recompensa inmediata o dos pequeñas recompensas si esperaban un pequeño periodo de tiempo (15 minutos). Durante este tiempo el experimentador salía de la sala y los dejaba solos. Si los niños no aguantaban la tentación deberían tocar una campana y el experimento terminaba solo con una recompensa. Ésta solía ser normalmente una nube (malavisco), una galleta o cualquier cosa apetecible para cada uno de los niños. Solo el 33% de los niños y niñas lograron esperar pacientemente hasta el retorno del experimentador. En la observación se veía como los niños empleaban diferentes técnicas para evitar la tentación: mirar para otro lado, taparse los ojos, moverse inquietos, etc. En experimentos sucesivos se comprobó que los niños que fueron inducidos en técnicas de afrontamiento lograron resultados mejores que los que no durante la prueba.

>> Artículo relacionado: Factores que incitan a comer.

En estudios de seguimiento posteriores de esos niños ya adultos los resultados de rendimiento en la vida fueron superiores para los niños que fueron capaces de esperar por las mejores recompensas, según los índices de rendimiento escolar, índice de masa corporal, etc.

Conclusiones

Para ser felices necesitamos gratificaciones, unos las prefieren inmediatas y otros son más pacientes. No existe una fórmula secreta para ello que sea mejor o peor, simplemente hay que saber elegir el momento y no cabe duda que adquirir buenas destrezas de autocontrol ayudará en las decisiones.

Educar en inteligencia emocional puede ser un buen principio para crear mejores adultos.

Aquí tenéis un vídeo explicativo del experimento:

En este otro enlace podéis ver una entrevista de Eduard Punset a Walter Mischel explicando este experimento.[:en]

A child, sweets, assured tension …

Wait, as the saying goes, sometimes despairs he says. We seem avocados to the need for immediate gratification to any appetitive momentum. Our valuable time sometimes makes us act as soon as possible despite the patient being can bring us better results in many occasions.

This fact demonstrated by the Austrian psychologist Walter Mischel at Stanford University in 1972. He completed a scientific experiment to measure the strength of will in a group of children between 3 and 6 years and their evolution in adulthood. It is at this age when it begins to make sense to the future and learn to control impulses looking for a higher profit. This skill of self-control is one of the factors that will balance after our performance, positive mood and happiness.

Experiment

The study was offered to children between an immediate reward or two small rewards if they expected a small period of time (15 minutes). During this time the experimenter left the room and left alone. If children could not stand the temptation should ring a bell and the experiment ended only with a reward. This used to be a marshmallow normally (malavisco), a biscuit or desirable for each of the children thing. Only 33% of children were able to wait patiently until the return of the experimenter. In observing it looked like children used different techniques to avoid the temptation to look away, cover his eyes moving restlessly, etc. In subsequent experiments it was found that children who were induced in coping techniques achieved better results than those during the test.

In subsequent follow-up studies of these children and adults performance results in life were higher for children who were able to wait for the best rewards, according to school performance indices, body mass index, etc.

Conclusions

To be happy we need perks, some prefer immediate and others are more patients. There is no secret formula to do it better or worse, just have to know to choose the time and no doubt acquire good self-help skills in decision making.

Educate on emotional intelligence can be a good start to create better adults.

Here’s a video explaining the experiment:

In this other link you can see an interview with Eduard Punset Walter Mischel explaining this experiment.[:gl]

A child, sweets, assured tension …

Wait, as the saying goes, sometimes despairs he says. We seem avocados to the need for immediate gratification to any appetitive momentum. Our valuable time sometimes makes us act as soon as possible despite the patient being can bring us better results in many occasions.

This fact demonstrated by the Austrian psychologist Walter Mischel at Stanford University in 1972. He completed a scientific experiment to measure the strength of will in a group of children between 3 and 6 years and their evolution in adulthood. It is at this age when it begins to make sense to the future and learn to control impulses looking for a higher profit. This skill of self-control is one of the factors that will balance after our performance, positive mood and happiness.

Experiment

The study was offered to children between an immediate reward or two small rewards if they expected a small period of time (15 minutes). During this time the experimenter left the room and left alone. If children could not stand the temptation should ring a bell and the experiment ended only with a reward. This used to be a marshmallow normally (malavisco), a biscuit or desirable for each of the children thing. Only 33% of children were able to wait patiently until the return of the experimenter. In observing it looked like children used different techniques to avoid the temptation to look away, cover his eyes moving restlessly, etc. In subsequent experiments it was found that children who were induced in coping techniques achieved better results than those during the test.

In subsequent follow-up studies of these children and adults performance results in life were higher for children who were able to wait for the best rewards, according to school performance indices, body mass index, etc.

Conclusions

To be happy we need perks, some prefer immediate and others are more patients. There is no secret formula to do it better or worse, just have to know to choose the time and no doubt acquire good self-help skills in decision making.

Educate on emotional intelligence can be a good start to create better adults.

Here’s a video explaining the experiment:

In this other link you can see an interview with Eduard Punset Walter Mischel explaining this experiment.[:]