Want to learn the ideas in The Marshmallow Test better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of The Marshmallow Test by Walter Mischel here.

Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.

Video Summaries of The Marshmallow Test

We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on The Marshmallow Test, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Walter Mischel.

1-Page Summary of The Marshmallow Test

Overview

Willpower is a concept that has been neglected by many experts. However, it’s the key to self-control and achievement. It can be harnessed through specific techniques and strategies that are discussed in this book.

In the 1960s, Walter Mischel conducted a famous experiment on children. He told them they could eat one marshmallow right away or wait and have two later. The study was important because it showed how easily children can be distracted from their goals when tempted by something pleasurable in front of them. In this book, he explains how self-control works and why it’s so critical to us throughout our lives.

You’ll learn about the “marshmallow test” and why some kids resisted the marshmallow while others didn’t. You’ll also find out what Cookie Monster taught kids about resisting immediate gratification, as well as how parents’ interactions with their toddlers influence them later in life.

Big Idea #1: A test was developed to see how children control their urges.

Have you ever tempted a young child with something they really wanted, but told them they couldn’t have it? If not, scientists did this for you in a clinical trial. It was called the Marshmallow Test and helped us understand human behavior. In the test, children were given their favorite treat and told that if they waited to eat it until after the researcher left, then they would get two treats instead of one. They could also call back the researcher whenever if they got too impatient. Then researchers left them alone with their treat on a tray in front of them.

Researchers watched children to see how they would react to a situation. Some of the children ate the treat right away, while others waited and then ate it. The researchers noticed that all of these children distracted themselves from eating their treats by thinking about something else.

Some of the speakers sang songs, and others played with their chairs.

The kids were taught to use distraction techniques. They came up with their own strategies on their own, but the experimenters tried teaching them how to distract themselves beforehand. This turned out to help the children a great deal.

Researchers taught children how to create if-then plans, such as “If my hand moves toward the treat, then I will start singing a song.” When the children reminded themselves of their plan each time they went for the treat, it was easier for them to wait. The Marshmallow Test is simple in concept but has profound implications.

Big Idea #2: Self-control is a personal trait that develops as we grow up.

When we’re tempted to do something, should we give in or resist?

We have two systems in our brain that control our behavior: one that reacts quickly to the environment and another that controls how we behave. The first system, which is located in our limbic system, immediately reacts to arousing stimuli like a child seeing a marshmallow for the first time. On the other hand, when we need self-control or make decisions ahead of time, we use the second system, which is called the prefrontal cortex.

When a child is able to resist the marshmallow, it’s because they’re using their cool system. The hot and cool systems work together in our brain, so when one becomes active, the other becomes less active.

Although our hot system is functional from the moment we’re born, it develops throughout childhood. This is why kids have a hard time resisting immediate gratification: their actions are regulated by their hot system. Kids under four usually aren’t able to use their cool system at all. As we get older, we gain more self-control but our cool system isn’t fully developed until adulthood, which contributes to why many teens can’t resist doing drugs or drinking alcohol.