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Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 8:08 am
by 7Wannabe5
Do you think it is easier for a human to wait 15 minutes for a second marshmallow OR go 3 months without yield on investment (widely defined/imagined?)

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 9:57 pm
by Toska2
3 months. My life changed so nothing is instant. Schedule with friends, dates, jobs, paperwork. Since I have enough to live ~15 years, I dont look at it that often.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 10:00 pm
by Toska2
Oh thiscis applicable to the general popilation. Even moreso that tgeycare on the 30 year "plan".

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 5:24 am
by Dream of Freedom
Marshmallow is definitely harder. We have millions of years of evolution telling us to eat when food is available. Not so for dollar bills.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 7:07 am
by jacob
The marshmallow is easier for me (but maybe I'm not human). Having money idling somewhere even for an extra day drives me up the wall.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 7:28 am
by 7Wannabe5
Toska wrote:3 months. My life changed so nothing is instant. Schedule with friends, dates, jobs, paperwork. Since I have enough to live ~15 years, I dont look at it that often.
So, it's easier to distract yourself, given that you are imagining freedom of movement, inclusive of the possibility of other varied investment opportunities, with the 3 month investment option. In the 15 minute marshmallow option, the child is pretty much trapped in a chair staring at the treat. The study did indicate that the children who were best able to delay gratification did do what they could to distract themselves or hide the marshmallow from themselves, so I think your observation is on the right track.
Dream of Freedom wrote:Marshmallow is definitely harder. We have millions of years of evolution telling us to eat when food is available. Not so for dollar bills.
Well, the reason I posed this question was I was thinking about one of the 12 Permaculture Priciples which is "Obtain a Yield." I was thinking about this principle because I received another notice of code violation with possibility of $100 fine from the city and my property taxes will soon be due and I can't even go there to harvest any food because my car broke down and I am debating whether it is worth fixing. So, I was thinking about short term food investment vs. long term food investment.

It is becoming increasingly clear to me that I should have focused on getting my shelter costs secured down to near zero prior to web of goal-ing food and sex, if I have any hope of winning the ERE game with hard-core low numerator play by stated goal date of Harvest 2022, but I can't quite figure out how best to untangle myself from the bit of a mess I have made at this juncture.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 7:53 am
by FIRE 2018
If one was raised or lack of raised in a dysfunctional family with no morals rules or respect for your fellow man then that person will go immediately for the marshmallow. If the person is raised with good morals and coming from a better economic background then that person would go the 3 months. Just my 2 cents.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:25 am
by 7Wannabe5
jacob wrote:The marshmallow is easier for me (but maybe I'm not human). Having money idling somewhere even for an extra day drives me up the wall.
I didn't structure my question correctly. I meant something more like marshmallow test vs. planting a hickory tree. I guess what concerns me is the sheer volume of noise likely to accumulate before hickory harvest. As FIRE 2018 alluded, some level of trust in the terms and context of contract is necessary. The inner-city child I tutored who described getting beat by his mother for eating her Pop-Tarts is less likely to trust the authority figure promising 2nd marshmallow in 15 minutes. However, it is highly unlikely that any of the children, even those who are good strategists, are considering contingencies such as "What if there is a fire in the school before I get the second marshmallow?" or much more relevant to a future positive ENTP, something like "What are the odds that while I am sitting here waiting for this marshmallow/hickory, there are free cookies being given away behind door number 3?"

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 11:32 am
by Jason
7Wannabe5 wrote:
Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:25 am
The inner-city child I tutored who described getting beat by his mother for eating her Pop-Tarts
Believe me, that shit happens in the suburbs. Only its Milanos not Pop-Tarts.

I don't understand the question. But I'm good not eating the second marshmallow. Its the three month thing.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 1:01 pm
by 7Wannabe5
@Jason:

I know. Remember, I had a terrible mother too. Not taking a nap, losing a mitten, being afraid to walk to school in a thunderstorm, etc. One thing she would frequently do would be something like rummage around to find one of my father's checkbooks (after he tried to cut her off), forge his signature to buy a cake, then eat half of it and put the other half down the garbage disposal, and then fly into an absolute rage if one of us complained about not getting any cake.

OTOH, my father was kind and extremely reliable, so that likely explains my mixed functioning on marshmallow tests.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 1:15 pm
by FIRE 2018
I guess there are a number of thoughts that go into the meaning of marshmallow test. Marshmallow test was a 1960s college testing experiment on the subject of "delayed gratification" that involved kids in the test and sweet treats. The kids that could wait longer were predicted to have better SAT scores, better body mass index, and more success in life. Aka ( 3 months as an example - understanding in later years the ability to invest, compounding interest, accumulating net worth, long term outlook in financial and professional goals, ) one could also add ability to FIRE. Off topic, I am not a sweet tooth anymore and prefer fruits and veggies! I hated going to the dentist so I keep my teeth as clean and good condition as possible.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:29 pm
by Jin+Guice
1) I have a theory. Most people on this forum are so good at the marshmallow test, that they'd delay eating it until after they were dead.

2) Would you live your life differently if you knew for a fact that you had to live it again? That is, you had to experience every moment of every day of your life 1 more time.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:48 pm
by unemployable
Jin+Guice wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:29 pm
1) I have a theory. Most people on this forum are so good at the marshmallow test, that they'd delay eating it until after they were dead.
I'd eat 4% of it a year
2) Would you live your life differently if you knew for a fact that you had to live it again? That is, you had to experience every moment of every day of your life 1 more time.
I'd do two things: First, take better advantage of the night in high school a bunch of us were at a friend's house and my crush stopped by completely drunk. Second, not sell AAPL back in 2004 (I didn't need the money).

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2019 8:29 am
by CS
Jin+Guice wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:29 pm
1) I have a theory. Most people on this forum are so good at the marshmallow test, that they'd delay eating it until after they were dead.
So true!
Jin+Guice wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:29 pm
2) Would you live your life differently if you knew for a fact that you had to live it again? That is, you had to experience every moment of every day of your life 1 more time.
Finish high school at age 14, go right to college and never look back. So yes, differently.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2019 12:55 pm
by daylen
I do not even like marshmallows.. or sugar for that matter. Spicy and salty all the way. A small amount of chocolate is good though.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2019 7:01 pm
by henrik
This may have been addressed in the literature, but I've always thought about out it when the marshmallow test gets brought up.. they sort of assume children actually want them. I know quite a few who don't.. too sweet + the texture. Also, the test should be taken not with the first, but the second one, having to wait for the third.

@J+G I'd do quite a few things differently assuming I could keep the experience from having done them wrong the first time.

Re: Marshmallow Test Revisited

Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 5:15 am
by just
@henrik
I guess that would only strengthen the findings of the test if they haven't sorted out children who don't like marshmallows, since they are potentially not good at delaying gratification? Or else it means that not liking marshmallows leads to a better life in itself.