Casey Flashcards

1
Q

What was the aim of Casey et al.’s study?

A

To investigate whether delay of gratification in childhood predicts impulse control and brain activity in adulthood.

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2
Q

What is delay of gratification?

A

The ability to resist immediate rewards in favor of larger, delayed rewards.

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3
Q

What is the background of this study?

A

It builds on the Marshmallow Test by Mischel et al. (1972), which studied self-control in children by testing whether they could resist eating a marshmallow to receive a second one later.

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4
Q

What were the two groups of participants based on childhood performance?

A

High delayers: Those who successfully delayed gratification.

Low delayers: Those who could not resist temptation.

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5
Q

What type of research method was used?

A

A longitudinal quasi-experiment, as participants were grouped based on their pre-existing delay of gratification abilities.

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6
Q

What was the sample size of the study?

A

562 children (original Marshmallow Test).

59 adults participated in Experiment 1.

27 adults participated in Experiment 2 (fMRI study).

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7
Q

What type of experimental design was used?

A

Repeated measures design—the same participants took part in different conditions of the task.

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8
Q

What was the main task used in Experiment 1?

A

The Go/No-Go Task, where participants had to respond (Go) or withhold a response (No-Go) based on facial expressions.

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9
Q

What were the two different versions of the go no-go task?

A

Cool stimuli: Neutral or non-emotional faces.

Hot stimuli: Faces expressing happiness or fear, which trigger emotional responses.

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10
Q

What were the instructions for the task?

A

Press a button when shown a Go stimulus (e.g., a neutral face).

Refrain from pressing when shown a No-Go stimulus (e.g., a happy face in hot trials).

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11
Q

How did high delayers and low delayers perform in the task?

A

High delayers were better at withholding responses in No-Go trials.

Low delayers struggled, particularly in hot (emotional) conditions with happy faces.

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12
Q

What was the purpose of Experiment 2?

A

To examine whether differences in impulse control were linked to differences in brain activity.

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13
Q

What was used to measure brain activity?

A

fMRI

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14
Q

What brain regions were the focus of the fMRI study?

A

Inferior frontal gyrus (IFG): Associated with response inhibition and control.

Ventral striatum (VS): Linked to reward processing and impulsivity.

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15
Q

What were the fMRI findings regarding the brain?

A

High delayers had greater activity in the inferior frontal gyrus, meaning better self-control.

Low delayers had higher activation in the ventral striatum, meaning they were more sensitive to rewards.

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16
Q

What did Casey et al. conclude about impulse control?

A

The ability to delay gratification remains stable over time, and is linked to differences in brain function.

17
Q

How does this study support the idea of individual differences?

A

It shows that biological factors (brain activity) influence self-control abilities, which vary among individuals.

18
Q

What is a strength of Casey et al.’s study? (Scientific Methods)

A

The use of fMRI scans provides objective, reliable data on brain activity linked to impulse control.

19
Q

What is another strength? (Longitudinal Study)

A

The study tracked participants from childhood to adulthood, providing insight into the stability of self-control over time.

20
Q

What is a limitation of the study? (Sample Size)

A

The fMRI study only had 27 participants, making it hard to generalize findings to a wider population.

21
Q

What is another limitation? (Ecological Validity)

A

The Go/No-Go task is highly controlled and does not fully represent real-world temptation scenarios.

22
Q

How does this study contribute to the nature vs. nurture debate?

A

It suggests both nature and nurture play a role:

Nature: Brain differences influence self-control.

Nurture: Early experiences shape future behavior.

23
Q

How can Casey’s research be applied in education?

A

It suggests that teaching impulse control skills early in life may help children develop better self-regulation in adulthood.

24
Q

How can the findings be applied in healthcare?

A

Understanding impulse control may help in designing interventions for addiction and obesity.

25
Q

What is a real-world example of impulse control problems?

A

Addiction—individuals with lower impulse control struggle to resist short-term rewards, leading to continued substance abuse.

26
Q

What is the key takeaway from Casey et al.’s study?

A

Self-control is a stable trait, influenced by brain function, and can predict behavior from childhood to adulthood.