Four-year-olds were told that they could eat a marshmallow right away, but if they could wait they would get two marshmallows. This experiment was a test of the
A) moral values of young children.
B) children's ability to understand and follow complex instructions.
C) children's effortful control of their behavior.
D) children's ability to empathize with the needs of another person.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The marshmallow test was designed to test children's ability to delay gratification and control their behavior. This is known as effortful control or self-regulation, which is an important aspect of cognitive and emotional development in early childhood. The test does not directly test moral values, understanding of complex instructions, or empathy.

Four-Year-Olds Were Told That They Could Eat a Marshmallow Right