An Interesting Article About The Marshmallow Test

The paper “Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price” by Matt Richtel discussed how internet, phones calls and other incoming information impact on people’s life. Researchers say it can be addictive. Matt Richtel states, “Scientists say juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave” (225). Basically, Matt Richtel is saying using phones, e-mails and other incoming information can affect the behavior of people and their thought process. Some people think multitasking makes them more productive, but scientists say otherwise. They believes multitaskers have more trouble focusing and selecting unnecessary information. Also, the author is insisting that children who use a lot of electronics

Clay shirky, a professor at NYU brings this matter to life through his article “Why I just asked my students to put their laptops away” provides us with a more in-depth look at this issue. Shirky states that “People often start multi-tasking because they believe it will help them get more done. Those gains never materialize; instead, efficiency is degraded. However, it provides emotional gratification as a side-effect.” Although the students are set out to improve using multi-tasking, shirky believes that they are in fact worsening with this view on

Multitasking, helpful or harmful? In Alina Tugend’s “Multitasking Can Make You Lose…Um…Focus”, Tugend explores multitasking in several ways. Explaining how we as humans sacrifice focus “shifting focus from task to task gives illusion that we’re simultaneously tasking”. Also, how our brains react to operating and trying to do more than one task at once. Only one or two visual stimulants can activate our neurons at one particular time. Lastly, how we can recreate boundaries and cope with everyday life and multitasking. Tugend reiterates several times the importance of one task at a time so we as humans can effectively complete tasks to the best of our abilities instead of giving partial focus and not efficiently completely a task. Multitasking is very beneficial at times, but more often there are significant downfalls; it is crucial we learn how to manage the downfalls of juggling tasks, events, conversations, and daily events.

In the 1960’s, Walter Mischel and colleagues researched delaying gratification in children. The development of the simply designed marshmallow test yielded a better understanding of delaying gratification in children. The success of the marshmallow test generated a greater interest in understanding human self-control and fellow researchers continued to examine delaying gratification and self-control. B.J Casey, PhD, of Weill Cornell Medical College, Mischel, Yuichi Shoda, PhD, of the University of Washington, and colleagues further examine Mischel’s earlier research. This continuation of the experiment and advances in medical research allowed for Casey et al. to examine the neurological basis of gratification in adults. This research allows for a better understand in how a child’s ability to delay gratification can effect them across their lifespan. However, social environment factors also contribute to difference in self-control and ability to delay gratification.

Tugend starts her article off by exploring the fact that as we read this article we are more than likely already multitasking weather it be listening to music, texting, tv or even talking to kids! She then goes on to say why multitasking has been accepted since the 1990’s and has been thought to be saving time that neuroscientist have actually proven that multitasking can be less efficient and even cause us a great deal of stress. She uses Dr. Hallowell to emphasize that why multitasking can make tasks more fun that it will actually hinder are focus and but he does go on to say that depending on what function of the brain you are using it could induce or spark creativity. There is actually no such thing as multitasking one can not do two things at once one can simply divide there attention or rapidly switch back and forth from one task to

In “Multitasking Can Make You Lose...Um...Focus,” Alina Tugend examines the negative aspects and many disadvantages that occur through multitasking. Tugend begins by stating that multitasking is the norm for today’s fast paced society; however, in reality it is pulling focus from the task at hand. The author continues on to cite various researchers who express that the brain cannot simultaneously do two tasks at once and is actually just flipping back and forth between tasks rapidly. Although multitasking seems like a time efficient method, Tugend reveals, it is actually creating a large amount of stress and pressure on the individual. Furthermore, the author notes that multitasking actually pulls away from the task at hand creating a great time loss. Tugend even goes on to explain that multitasking is proving to be bad for innovation by not allowing an individual to think in depth about one task for an extended period of time. With Tugends article in mind I agree that multitasking puts a lot of stress and pressure on the individual, creates a loss in time, and is awful for innovation.

In our busy lives, multitasking has become a normal day-to-day activity. In the twenty-first century, the ability to do multiple things simultaneously has become a valuable asset and is viewed as an essential skill by many. However, does multitasking negatively affect the outcome of your task? The practice of doing multiple things at once is detrimental to your efficiency, attentiveness, focus, and detracts from your ability to execute your task well.

Performance Task Essay Should the marshmallow experiment be trusted? The experiment is about determining willpower and success. The experiment is when you give a child a marshmallow and ask if they would like to eat that one marshmallow now or wait fifthteen minutes for two marshmallows. I agree but disagree with the experiment.

Multitasking: A Poor Study Habit by Noelle Alberto shows that multitasking is a bad thing do when studying. Ablerto gives four main points in her article, those points being, that multitasking while studying doesn’t save time, multitasking doesn’t prepare you for the business world, damages the students ability to learn, and causes students not to gain the trait that helps for paying attention. Throughout her article she provides evidence to prove these four points to a decent extent. I would disagree with the point that multitasking isn’t saving time because of having to switch back and forth between tasks. I don’t believe this point because personally I know I save time from multitasking while studying.

Can our childhood determine the amount of success we will have in our lives? This is what psychologist Walter Mischel wanted to find out in his experiment called “The Marshmallow Test” he started this experiment in the early 1970s. What he did was give preschoolers a marshmallow and told them if they waited fifteen minutes without eating it then he would give them two. Later research found that the children who waited were more successful, but did this test really determine that the children would be more successful than those who failed? The children who waited showed delayed gratification and those who couldn 't resist did not. Mischel followed these preschoolers until they were grown up and he found that they were very successful and able to have self-control. This experiment proves delayed gratification and how the children who waited became more successful in life, but recent studies prove that this test could just be a result in strategic reasoning.

While students feel they are great at multitasking, studies show that they actually perform academically at a lower level than those who do not multitask. A study was conducted by a respected research lab in Stanford University. Clifford Nass, a professor of communications at Stanford University, introduces us to a study conducted on carefully-selected high chronic students who multitask (Digital Nation). The experiment was structured for students to identify numbers as odd or even, letters as vowels or consonants. Professor Nass wanted to test how quickly these students can switch tasks without losing focus. The results showed that people who multitask are slower than those who do not multitask. While slower does not mean horrible, it should raise a sign that if they had focused on their work only they would get better scores in their respective studies. Sherry Turkle, in an interview, displayed the differences between two common multitasking activities: taking a break from your studies to stretch and surfing the web. Turkle says: “When you get up and stretch and take a walk around the block, you can stay with your problem. You can clear your mind; you can move your body. You can stay

If you take a moment to look back at a time you have tried to multitask, you would probably realize that you were not making much progress and was getting frustrated more than gettings the task done. With multitasking comes stress and

Sana, Weston, & Cepeda (2013), Laptop multitasking hinders learning for both users and nearby peers. Computers & Education 62 (2013): 24-31.

Do your impulses affect your future? In 1968 an experiment was done trying to prove this very thing called the Marshmallow test. This test would try and see how well a child can control their impulses for sugary treats. The test went well and after many years they checked back on the children to see how this little test is correlated to their high school test scores. Its results were quite stunning with both the first test of the 60s and the second test in the 70s trying to see how to alter the results with different variables

Hook: Everyone thinks that multitasking is good for the brain and that everyone should want that skill. Well unfortunately studies proven by scientist at the institute in Paris Santé et de la Recherche Médication found that the brain splits into two, basically splitting the attention. It was said that at the most someone can do two things at once depending on the ease of the tasks. The reason being for this is due to the two frontal lobes of the brain designed to help someone with tasks.