The Marshmallow Test: Nature Vs. Nurture

provides essential tools to help me to redirect my concentration on the positive rather than the negative, which makes an immediate impact on my life. My natural inclination is to pay lots of attention to wrong behavior in order to correct the error. After reading the book, I have tried to change my reaction and also redirect my attention towards the positive rather than the negative. I have attempted to apply the “Whale done” approach and I realized that there were some situations that things became easier for me and sometimes they were highlights of my days. Few days ago, I ran into one of the elderly employees at Starbuck and she was frustrated because she was having trouble getting the new cash register to read her fingerprint to sign in and she could not remember how to make my drink. I simply explained that when she made the drink I knew it would be extra delicious because I was made to wait and would enjoy it more and that I was not really in any big hurry. She relaxed, remembered how to prepare the drink and was able to ask another employee to help her sign into her register. She was suddenly smiling and seemed to be much happier. Rather than focusing on the negative setbacks I redirected her to the positive and I could see the difference it made in her overall performance. Though it was just a small change in my reaction but it has inspired me and helped me realize how much power I have to affect those around

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.

People seldom have tendencies of getting in their own way when they do not strive to overcome self-defeating behaviors. Such behaviors not only have the power to incapacitate one's best plans and most enthused ventures but also injure one's relationships with others. An individual who wants to avoid such awkward, damaging and thwarting errors must keep his mind open and must show a willingness to do something about such behaviors (Nelson 1999, 18).

The psychologists believe that individual’s behaviour is linked with the inner thoughts and self-image. The idea is that due to free will people change often. It is humans’ responsibility on how their well-being and lives carry on. This is because we are capable of striving to achieve the best, self-actualisation desire.

A long-debated argument in the field of Psychology has been which theory or explanation of human behavior is the most important and the most viable. Is B. F. Skinner’s theory that behavior is the result of man’s response to external stimuli or is Carl Rogers’ theory that man’s behavior is the result of his determination to achieve self-actualization the best explanation? After much research and thought, I will argue in favor of Carl Rogers’ Humanistic Theory that “emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and their potential for personal growth” (Weiten, 2016, p. 9).

Nature or Nurture. Nature may be all of the genes and hereditary factors with which influence them to become who they are such as physical appearances and personality characteristics. Nurturing impacts people’s lives as well as how they are raised and all the environmental factors. In combination, these qualities can be the true identity of oneself. Many people may argue that nurture appears to a play huge factor in the two, but others may think otherwise. Not having both as a characteristic can have a negative effect on a person physically and mentally. The debate of nature versus nurture appears to be the oldest argument known to man, and it still remains to be unanswered. In the old-age argument nature versus nurture, nature may play a huge role in determining a person’s true identity.

All of us have formed habits in our daily life. Even though some of these habits only exist in our subconscious and we cannot actually make sure whether they are real or only the conjectures. But it is undoubted that all of our behaviors are influenced by our desires on specific objectives. In the book, the power of habit, Charles Duhigg explained the definition of a habit as an effort-saving instinct. “When a habit emerges, the brain stops fully participating in decision making” (20). To support his opinions on habits, he introduced the three-step model of a habit loop, the theory of golden rule of habit, and the role of a craving brain and belief in the process of a habit changing. Through learning

Genes influence every aspect of our physiology, development, and adaptation. Obesity seems to be no exception. Yet, even after reading this article and researching this topic, I still know relatively little regarding the complex interplay between our genetic makeup and our life experiences. The author of this article and the research contained within does little to clarify the role of nurture in the nature vs. nurture argument. Environmental causation is discussed only in terms of how environmental stress has the potential of becoming a part of one’s genetic makeup and therefore transferrable to future generations. It’s clear that genetic factors make a contribution to obesity risk, but not everyone who may be predisposed to obesity because

Hirshi and Gottfredson explain in their theory that self-control is a major attribute that factors into the

This foundation, whether healthy or unhealthy, will form the way in which a person relates as an adult. Like Wilson (2001) and Hawkins (2010) who assert that external factors, such as other people, impact an individual’s emotions and behavior and ultimately form the personality structure, I also believe this personality theory. The Source, Role, and Function of Motivation (.5)

Why should people be able to postpone their desire? Desire is a sense of hoping for something. Scientists have discovered that if people could control their inner desire, they would be more likely to have self-discipline, higher SAT scores and are more successful. Delayed gratification is a person’s ability to control his/her desire for something for a period of time.

Tavris and Aronson discuss the main idea of this chapter—cognitive dissonance. As it is the engine of self-justification like it is mentioned in the first page of the chapter, cognitive dissonance allows the person to reflect two different cognitions and know the justifications to actions and decisions. Tavris and Aronson use the example of smoking to exemplify the reduction in dissonance. Considering cognitive dissonance, the authors reveal that dissonance challenges behaviorism. People should know that even if there is a painful situation laid front of their life path, achieving something by going through that path will make them a superior person and that goal will become even more attractive. In addition, explained by the authors, the

A point of this book is that just as people have unique personality preferences, we all have unique preferences for what we find satisfying or motivating when

(ACT) can improve one’s health through learning the processes of how to accept willingly what is actually in our personal control. The aim is not to fight or struggle with our internal thoughts, but to understand what isn’t in our control, and accept what is going on, and how to deal with that. Now its human nature to try and control our thoughts or to the contrary we may just tend to avoid them. However, efforts to control or elimination these can actually interfere and create barriers with moving toward personally-identified and valued goals.

The controversial debate of nature versus nurture has been around since 1869. The phrase “Nature Versus Nurture” was created by the English polymath, Francis Galton. Galton was influenced by a book written by his cousin, Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species. Darwin’s book introduces the scientific theory of how populations evolve through the process of natural selection. Galton was the first to apply statistical methods to the study of human intelligence inheritance. This allowed him to determine what percentage of a person’s knowledge came from their genetics. Galton’s studies still continue to be used to this day.