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TED Connection Don’t Eat the Marshmallow: How marshmallows and…
TED Connection
Don’t Eat the
Marshmallow:
How marshmallows and 4-year-olds predict future success
Overview
Mensa for Kids’ TED Connections are short, easy to use guides that help
teachers, par- ents and youth use TED talks in a classroom or home
setting. Rather than a lesson plan format, they have a list of discussion
questions, all at higher levels of thinking.
Photo: John Morgan/flickr.com
Joachim de Posada
shares how delaying
gratification of eating
a marshmallow by 4-
year-olds turned out to
be a predictor of future
success in life across
cultures.
WATCH THE TED TALK AT:
ted.com/talks/joachim_de_posada_says_don_t_eat_the_marshmallo
1. Motivational Speaker Joachim de Posada shares the basic principles of a
study done by American psychologist Walter Mischel involving 4-year-olds
and marshmallows. What does he say he thinks this study did? What do you
predict marshmallows have to do with his answer?
2. Do you feel that the amount of time, 15 minutes, was a good choice?
Predict what you think might have happened with more time or less time left
alone with the marshmallow. Do you think you would have been able to last 15
minutes in the room with the marshmallow at 4 years of age without eating it?
3. What is the most important principle for success? He stated 2 things
do you think these are the same or different? Expound on your answer.
4. What did Posada list as the indicators of success?
5. Where you surprised by the 100 percent statistic related to success from
those who did not eat the marshmallow?
6. The study was recreated in Colombia with Hispanic kids. What was
different about this study? Did you think this would change the results?
Why?
7. Analyze the little girl who ate the inside of the marshmallow. What about
her behavior predicts her success?
8. Dissect the example of the salesperson who asks a few questions; how
did they not eat the marsh- mallow and what did they do that will lead to them
getting more metaphorical marshmallows or sales?
9. What are some things you suggest that might impact the effectiveness
of this study? Defend your suggested items with examples.
10. Give your opinion on the marshmallow theory as a predictor of success in
the future. Justify your opinion.
