ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Marshmallow test

Okay, kiddo, have you ever heard of the Marshmallow Test? No? Well, let me tell you all about it!

The Marshmallow Test was a big experiment that happened a long time ago! The experiment was all about testing kids and their ability to delay gratification. Now, that's a big word, isn't it? Let me break it down for you.

When we want something, like a tasty treat, we usually want it right away, right? Delaying gratification means waiting patiently for something we want instead of getting it right away. So, in this experiment, the researchers put a bowl with a yummy marshmallow in front of each child and told them they could either eat it right away or wait for the researcher to come back and get them another marshmallow. If they waited, they would get two marshmallows instead of one!

The researchers watched the kids and recorded whether they could wait for the researcher to come back or if they gave in and ate the marshmallow before the researcher came back. Some kids were able to wait for a while, while others couldn't wait at all.

The researchers found that the kids who were able to wait longer were more successful later in life in things like school, jobs, and friendships. They also showed more self-control, which is a really important skill to have!

So, the Marshmallow Test was an important experiment that taught us about self-control and delaying gratification. It showed that if we can learn to wait for things we want, we can be more successful in the future!