The Marshmallow Experiment and Delayed Gratification

The podcast discusses the famous marshmallow experiment conducted by Stanford professor Walter Michelle in the 1960s. The experiment aimed to test children's ability to delay gratification by offering them a choice between eating one marshmallow immediately or waiting for a reward of two marshmallows. The children who successfully delayed gratification showed better long-term outcomes, including higher SAT scores, lower substance abuse rates, and improved social skills, highlighting the importance of self-control and delayed gratification in predicting future success.