The Meaning of Delayed Gratification

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDelaying Gratification in Everyday LifeStanford Marshmallow ExperimentWhy Is It So Hard to Wait?How to Increase Your Ability to Delay Gratification

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Table of Contents

Delaying Gratification in Everyday Life

Stanford Marshmallow Experiment

Why Is It So Hard to Wait?

How to Increase Your Ability to Delay Gratification

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Delaying gratification is “the act of resisting an impulse to take an immediately available reward in the hope of obtaining a more-valued reward in the future. The ability to delay gratification is essential to self-regulation, or self-control.“Delaying gratification means prioritizing a long-term goal over an immediately achievable one. Resisting the temptation of instant gratification can yield significant benefits that outweigh the challenges. The good news: There are ways to developimpulse control.Delaying Gratification in Everyday LifeSuppose you’re making great efforts to lose weight on a healthful diet. What do you do at the office party when offered one of those secret-recipe cookies that Izzy in accounting makes? If you give in and eat a few, chances are good that you’ll have more—and then become so discouraged that you give up. What can follow is a constant cycle of negativity that can prevent you from improving your health altogether.But you will have enjoyed that flavor and texture—even though you’ve had those cookies before—for a few minutes. It’s a steep tradeoff.However, if you manage to resist and spend the evening munching on carrot sticks, you’ll receive an even greater reward down the line: shedding unwanted pounds and improving your health.This ability to prioritize a long-term goal is considered central toself-control, and its development throughout childhood is associated with positive outcomes in adulthood.The ability to delay gratification is not just an important part ofgoal achievement: It might also have a major impact on long-term success and overall well-being.The Stanford Marshmallow ExperimentIn aclassic psychology experimentfrom the 1970s, psychologist Walter Mischel placed a treat in front of children and offered them a choice: They could enjoy the one treat now, or wait a brief time to get two snacks instead. When the experimenter left the room, many of the kids immediately ate the treat, but some were able to resist, earning themselvestworewards.Mischel then demonstrated an association between the kids who were able to delay gratification and several advantages later on over the kids who simply could not wait. The children who had waited for the treat performed better academically years later than kids who ate the treat right away. Those who delayed their gratification also displayed fewer behavioral problems and later had much higher SAT scores.Why Is It So Hard to Wait?Despite the adverse effects, humans seem to be wired for instant satisfaction. Contemporary psychology offers a few different explanations:According toevolutionary psychology, uncertainty about future rewards makes delaying gratification a challenge. In other words, we don’t know when these long-term rewards will arrive—if they even arrive at all.This helped our prehistoric ancestors survive in a world where resources were unpredictable. They took advantage of the opportunities as they occurred because they might not be available later.Cognitive psychology chalks it up tocognitive biasessuch as temporal discounting, hyperbolic discounting, and the present bias.Neuroscientists explain that therewards processingand impulse control centers of the brain are still developing into early adulthood, making instant gratification particularly desirable for adolescents and young adults.Other factors can include personality traits, mental health, social circumstances, work situations, and other individual characteristics.Closely related is the trust factor. Whether you’re willing to wait might depend on your worldview. Do you wait for something if you aren’t sure it will ever really happen? Do you have faith in your abilities to reach your goal? The less you trust the promise of a given outcome, the more likely you are to forego it in favor of what’s demonstrably available.How to Increase Your Ability to Delay GratificationSome strategies that might help you improve your ability to delay gratification include:Giving definitive timeframes: Providing feedback on just how long someone will have to wait for something can be beneficial.Train stations might post wait times, for example. Teachers might tell students a promised reward will arrive Friday if they stay on track today. A parent might tell a child, “Don’t eat that cookie. We’re going on a picnic at noon, and you can have two with your friends right after lunch.“Setting realistic deadlines: People often set unrealistic deadlines or benchmarks.For example, a person withprediabetesmight vow to consume absolutely no candy for an entire year—setting themselves up for failure. A more achievable goal, such as resisting candy during the week but enjoying your favoritedark chocolateon Sunday, is more likely to produce success.How to Improve Your Self-ControlA Word From VerywellDelaying gratification certainly isn’t easy, especially if we are not sure if the sought-after rewards will ever happen. However, this ability to put off immediate desires to pursue long-term goals just might be a critical part of success. Although you might not always be able to resist instant gratification, science says that trying a few new strategies and working on your willpower are worth the effort.

Delaying gratification is “the act of resisting an impulse to take an immediately available reward in the hope of obtaining a more-valued reward in the future. The ability to delay gratification is essential to self-regulation, or self-control.”

Delaying gratification means prioritizing a long-term goal over an immediately achievable one. Resisting the temptation of instant gratification can yield significant benefits that outweigh the challenges. The good news: There are ways to developimpulse control.

Suppose you’re making great efforts to lose weight on a healthful diet. What do you do at the office party when offered one of those secret-recipe cookies that Izzy in accounting makes? If you give in and eat a few, chances are good that you’ll have more—and then become so discouraged that you give up. What can follow is a constant cycle of negativity that can prevent you from improving your health altogether.

But you will have enjoyed that flavor and texture—even though you’ve had those cookies before—for a few minutes. It’s a steep tradeoff.

However, if you manage to resist and spend the evening munching on carrot sticks, you’ll receive an even greater reward down the line: shedding unwanted pounds and improving your health.

This ability to prioritize a long-term goal is considered central toself-control, and its development throughout childhood is associated with positive outcomes in adulthood.

The ability to delay gratification is not just an important part ofgoal achievement: It might also have a major impact on long-term success and overall well-being.

The Stanford Marshmallow Experiment

In aclassic psychology experimentfrom the 1970s, psychologist Walter Mischel placed a treat in front of children and offered them a choice: They could enjoy the one treat now, or wait a brief time to get two snacks instead. When the experimenter left the room, many of the kids immediately ate the treat, but some were able to resist, earning themselvestworewards.

Mischel then demonstrated an association between the kids who were able to delay gratification and several advantages later on over the kids who simply could not wait. The children who had waited for the treat performed better academically years later than kids who ate the treat right away. Those who delayed their gratification also displayed fewer behavioral problems and later had much higher SAT scores.

Despite the adverse effects, humans seem to be wired for instant satisfaction. Contemporary psychology offers a few different explanations:

Other factors can include personality traits, mental health, social circumstances, work situations, and other individual characteristics.

Closely related is the trust factor. Whether you’re willing to wait might depend on your worldview. Do you wait for something if you aren’t sure it will ever really happen? Do you have faith in your abilities to reach your goal? The less you trust the promise of a given outcome, the more likely you are to forego it in favor of what’s demonstrably available.

Some strategies that might help you improve your ability to delay gratification include:

How to Improve Your Self-Control

A Word From Verywell

Delaying gratification certainly isn’t easy, especially if we are not sure if the sought-after rewards will ever happen. However, this ability to put off immediate desires to pursue long-term goals just might be a critical part of success. Although you might not always be able to resist instant gratification, science says that trying a few new strategies and working on your willpower are worth the effort.

10 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Delay of Gratification|Psychology, Self-Control & Benefits.Britannica. (n.d.).Casey, B. J., Somerville, L. H., Gotlib, I. H., Ayduk, O., Franklin, N. T., Askren, M. K., Jonides, J., Berman, M. G., Wilson, N. L., Teslovich, T., Glover, G., Zayas, V., Mischel, W., & Shoda, Y. (2011).Behavioral and neural correlates of delay of gratification 40 years later.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,108(36), 14998–15003. doi:10.1073/pnas.1108561108Mischel W, Ebbesen EB.Attention in delay of gratification.J Pers Soc Psychol. 1970;16(2):329–337. doi:10.1037/h0029815McGuire JT, Kable JW.Decision makers calibrate behavioral persistence on the basis of time-interval experience.Cognition. 2012;124(2):216-26. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2012.03.008Evolutionary psychology: The new science of the mind. (n.d.). Routledge & CRC Press.Mischel, W. (2014).The marshmallow test: Mastering self-control(First edition). Little, Brown and Company.Casey, B., & Jones, R. M. (2010).Neurobiology of the adolescent brain and behavior.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,49(12), 1189–1285. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2010.08.017Duckworth, A. L., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2005).Self-discipline outdoes IQ in predicting academic performance of adolescents.Psychological Science,16(12), 939–944. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01641.xMcGuire JT, Kable JW.Decision makers calibrate behavioral persistence on the basis of time-interval experience.Cognition. 2012;124(2):216-26. doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2012.03.008Gelinas BL, Delparte CA, Hart R, Wright KD.Unrealistic weight loss goals among bariatric surgery candidates: The impact on pre- and postsurgical weight outcomes.Bariatric Surgical Practice and Patient Care.2013;8(1). doi:10.1089/bari.2013.9999

10 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Delay of Gratification|Psychology, Self-Control & Benefits.Britannica. (n.d.).Casey, B. J., Somerville, L. H., Gotlib, I. H., Ayduk, O., Franklin, N. T., Askren, M. K., Jonides, J., Berman, M. G., Wilson, N. L., Teslovich, T., Glover, G., Zayas, V., Mischel, W., & Shoda, Y. (2011).Behavioral and neural correlates of delay of gratification 40 years later.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,108(36), 14998–15003. doi:10.1073/pnas.1108561108Mischel W, Ebbesen EB.Attention in delay of gratification.J Pers Soc Psychol. 1970;16(2):329–337. doi:10.1037/h0029815McGuire JT, Kable JW.Decision makers calibrate behavioral persistence on the basis of time-interval experience.Cognition. 2012;124(2):216-26. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2012.03.008Evolutionary psychology: The new science of the mind. (n.d.). Routledge & CRC Press.Mischel, W. (2014).The marshmallow test: Mastering self-control(First edition). Little, Brown and Company.Casey, B., & Jones, R. M. (2010).Neurobiology of the adolescent brain and behavior.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,49(12), 1189–1285. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2010.08.017Duckworth, A. L., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2005).Self-discipline outdoes IQ in predicting academic performance of adolescents.Psychological Science,16(12), 939–944. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01641.xMcGuire JT, Kable JW.Decision makers calibrate behavioral persistence on the basis of time-interval experience.Cognition. 2012;124(2):216-26. doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2012.03.008Gelinas BL, Delparte CA, Hart R, Wright KD.Unrealistic weight loss goals among bariatric surgery candidates: The impact on pre- and postsurgical weight outcomes.Bariatric Surgical Practice and Patient Care.2013;8(1). doi:10.1089/bari.2013.9999

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Delay of Gratification|Psychology, Self-Control & Benefits.Britannica. (n.d.).Casey, B. J., Somerville, L. H., Gotlib, I. H., Ayduk, O., Franklin, N. T., Askren, M. K., Jonides, J., Berman, M. G., Wilson, N. L., Teslovich, T., Glover, G., Zayas, V., Mischel, W., & Shoda, Y. (2011).Behavioral and neural correlates of delay of gratification 40 years later.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,108(36), 14998–15003. doi:10.1073/pnas.1108561108Mischel W, Ebbesen EB.Attention in delay of gratification.J Pers Soc Psychol. 1970;16(2):329–337. doi:10.1037/h0029815McGuire JT, Kable JW.Decision makers calibrate behavioral persistence on the basis of time-interval experience.Cognition. 2012;124(2):216-26. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2012.03.008Evolutionary psychology: The new science of the mind. (n.d.). Routledge & CRC Press.Mischel, W. (2014).The marshmallow test: Mastering self-control(First edition). Little, Brown and Company.Casey, B., & Jones, R. M. (2010).Neurobiology of the adolescent brain and behavior.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,49(12), 1189–1285. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2010.08.017Duckworth, A. L., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2005).Self-discipline outdoes IQ in predicting academic performance of adolescents.Psychological Science,16(12), 939–944. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01641.xMcGuire JT, Kable JW.Decision makers calibrate behavioral persistence on the basis of time-interval experience.Cognition. 2012;124(2):216-26. doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2012.03.008Gelinas BL, Delparte CA, Hart R, Wright KD.Unrealistic weight loss goals among bariatric surgery candidates: The impact on pre- and postsurgical weight outcomes.Bariatric Surgical Practice and Patient Care.2013;8(1). doi:10.1089/bari.2013.9999

Delay of Gratification|Psychology, Self-Control & Benefits.Britannica. (n.d.).

Casey, B. J., Somerville, L. H., Gotlib, I. H., Ayduk, O., Franklin, N. T., Askren, M. K., Jonides, J., Berman, M. G., Wilson, N. L., Teslovich, T., Glover, G., Zayas, V., Mischel, W., & Shoda, Y. (2011).Behavioral and neural correlates of delay of gratification 40 years later.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,108(36), 14998–15003. doi:10.1073/pnas.1108561108

Mischel W, Ebbesen EB.Attention in delay of gratification.J Pers Soc Psychol. 1970;16(2):329–337. doi:10.1037/h0029815

McGuire JT, Kable JW.Decision makers calibrate behavioral persistence on the basis of time-interval experience.Cognition. 2012;124(2):216-26. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2012.03.008

Evolutionary psychology: The new science of the mind. (n.d.). Routledge & CRC Press.

Mischel, W. (2014).The marshmallow test: Mastering self-control(First edition). Little, Brown and Company.

Casey, B., & Jones, R. M. (2010).Neurobiology of the adolescent brain and behavior.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,49(12), 1189–1285. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2010.08.017

Duckworth, A. L., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2005).Self-discipline outdoes IQ in predicting academic performance of adolescents.Psychological Science,16(12), 939–944. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01641.x

McGuire JT, Kable JW.Decision makers calibrate behavioral persistence on the basis of time-interval experience.Cognition. 2012;124(2):216-26. doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2012.03.008

Gelinas BL, Delparte CA, Hart R, Wright KD.Unrealistic weight loss goals among bariatric surgery candidates: The impact on pre- and postsurgical weight outcomes.Bariatric Surgical Practice and Patient Care.2013;8(1). doi:10.1089/bari.2013.9999

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