Renowned psychologist Walter Mischel, designer of the famous Marshmallow Test, explains what self-control is and how to master it.
A child is presented with a marshmallow and given a choice: Eat this one now, or wait and enjoy two later. What will she do? And what are the implications for her behavior later in life?
The world's leading expert on self-control, Walter Mischel has proven that the ability to delay gratification is critical for a successful life, predicting higher SAT scores, better social and cognitive functioning, a healthier lifestyle and a greater sense of self-worth. But is willpower prewired, or can it be taught?
In The Marshmallow Test, Mischel explains how self-control can be mastered and applied to challenges in everyday life—from weight control to quitting smoking, overcoming heartbreak, making major decisions, and planning for retirement. With profound implications for the choices we make in parenting, education, public policy and self-care, The Marshmallow Test will change the way you think about who we are and what we can be.
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“Walter Mischel is one of the most influential psychologists of the twentieth century, and The Marshmallow Test will
make him one of the most influential in this century, too. Thanks in no
small part to his groundbreaking (and viral) findings, we know that
self-control is among the most important contributors to human
flourishing and that, though its biological roots run deep, it can be
dramatically enhanced in individuals and societies. Here we have the
maestro himself explain the science and its implications—wisely,
accessibly, and humanely.”
—
Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, author of The Better Angels of Our Nature