The Power of Promises: How Peer Support Influences Self-Control in Children

A new study has shed light on the powerful influence of promises and peer support on children’s ability to delay gratification. The research, published in Royal Society Open Science, demonstrates that children are more likely to resist temptation and wait for a larger reward when they have a buddy who has pledged to do the same. This finding reinforces the idea that commitments, even those made by young children, can significantly impact behavior.

The study revisits the classic Stanford marshmallow test, a well-known experiment designed to assess a child’s ability to delay gratification. In the original marshmallow test, conducted in the 1970s, a child was presented with a marshmallow or another desirable treat and told that if they could resist eating it while the experimenter left the room, they would receive a larger reward upon the experimenter’s return. Follow-up studies suggested that children who successfully delayed gratification in the marshmallow test tended to have better outcomes later in life, including higher academic achievement and improved social skills.

However, these early findings have been challenged by subsequent research. Critics pointed out that children who quickly consumed the marshmallow were more likely to come from disadvantaged backgrounds, where consistent rewards and trust in adults were less common. Therefore, their apparent lack of self-control might have reflected their life experiences rather than an innate deficiency. These alternative interpretations emphasized the role of environmental factors in shaping a child’s ability to delay gratification, rather than attributing it solely to individual characteristics.

The new study sought to further investigate the factors influencing a child’s ability to delay gratification by examining the role of social interaction and promises. Led by psychologist Owen Waddington from the University of Manchester, the research team aimed to determine how interactions with peers affected a child’s willingness to wait for a better reward. The researchers recognized that successful cooperation often depends on individuals’ ability to delay immediate gratification for the sake of a shared goal. They hypothesized that a sense of obligation to a peer could motivate children to exert greater effort and achieve cooperative success.

To conduct their experiment, the researchers utilized an online platform and paired children aged 5 to 6 years old with another child. Parents participated by showing their child a familiar treat at home. The children were informed that they would only receive an even more desirable treat if the other child also waited for their reward under similar circumstances.

To create a sense of social connection without direct communication, the experimenters simulated a "malfunctioning" Zoom link, allowing participants to see their paired child but preventing them from interacting or speaking to each other. The children were shown a video of their partner either promising not to eat the treat or expressing uncertainty about their ability to wait.

The results of the study revealed a significant difference in the children’s behavior depending on their partner’s pledge. When one child promised to hold out, the other child waited significantly longer before eating the treat compared to when their partner expressed doubt. This finding strongly suggests that promises have a tangible impact on children’s self-control. The study authors noted that their research goes beyond previous marshmallow test studies by demonstrating that a partner’s commitment to wait increases a child’s own willingness to delay gratification, even more so than when the partner is uncertain.

Interestingly, the study also found that younger children were slightly more likely to wait the entire time than older children, although this difference was not statistically significant. The researchers speculated that this trend might be because older children have experienced more broken promises and have learned that commitments are not always reliable.

The study’s findings have broader implications for understanding how promises promote cooperation in children. The researchers drew parallels to addiction research, where buddy systems have proven effective in preventing relapses. Just as a support system can help individuals overcome addiction, the promise of a peer can empower children to resist temptation and delay gratification.

However, the authors cautioned that their findings may not be universally applicable. The study primarily involved healthy children in northern England, and further research is needed to determine whether the results generalize to children from different cultures and backgrounds.

Despite these limitations, the study provides valuable insights into the power of promises and peer support in shaping children’s behavior. It demonstrates that even a simple commitment can significantly influence a child’s ability to delay gratification and cooperate with others. As the researchers concluded, it seems that a simple promise can go a long way.