Casey Flashcards
What was the aim of Casey et al.’s study?
To investigate whether delay of gratification in childhood predicts impulse control and brain activity in adulthood.
What is delay of gratification?
The ability to resist immediate rewards in favor of larger, delayed rewards.
What is the background of this study?
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.
What were the two groups of participants based on childhood performance?
High delayers: Those who successfully delayed gratification.
Low delayers: Those who could not resist temptation.
What type of research method was used?
A longitudinal quasi-experiment, as participants were grouped based on their pre-existing delay of gratification abilities.
What was the sample size of the study?
562 children (original Marshmallow Test).
59 adults participated in Experiment 1.
27 adults participated in Experiment 2 (fMRI study).
What type of experimental design was used?
Repeated measures design—the same participants took part in different conditions of the task.
What was the main task used in Experiment 1?
The Go/No-Go Task, where participants had to respond (Go) or withhold a response (No-Go) based on facial expressions.
What were the two different versions of the go no-go task?
Cool stimuli: Neutral or non-emotional faces.
Hot stimuli: Faces expressing happiness or fear, which trigger emotional responses.
What were the instructions for the task?
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).
How did high delayers and low delayers perform in the task?
High delayers were better at withholding responses in No-Go trials.
Low delayers struggled, particularly in hot (emotional) conditions with happy faces.
What was the purpose of Experiment 2?
To examine whether differences in impulse control were linked to differences in brain activity.
What was used to measure brain activity?
fMRI
What brain regions were the focus of the fMRI study?
Inferior frontal gyrus (IFG): Associated with response inhibition and control.
Ventral striatum (VS): Linked to reward processing and impulsivity.
What were the fMRI findings regarding the brain?
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.
What did Casey et al. conclude about impulse control?
The ability to delay gratification remains stable over time, and is linked to differences in brain function.
How does this study support the idea of individual differences?
It shows that biological factors (brain activity) influence self-control abilities, which vary among individuals.
What is a strength of Casey et al.’s study? (Scientific Methods)
The use of fMRI scans provides objective, reliable data on brain activity linked to impulse control.
What is another strength? (Longitudinal Study)
The study tracked participants from childhood to adulthood, providing insight into the stability of self-control over time.
What is a limitation of the study? (Sample Size)
The fMRI study only had 27 participants, making it hard to generalize findings to a wider population.
What is another limitation? (Ecological Validity)
The Go/No-Go task is highly controlled and does not fully represent real-world temptation scenarios.
How does this study contribute to the nature vs. nurture debate?
It suggests both nature and nurture play a role:
Nature: Brain differences influence self-control.
Nurture: Early experiences shape future behavior.
How can Casey’s research be applied in education?
It suggests that teaching impulse control skills early in life may help children develop better self-regulation in adulthood.
How can the findings be applied in healthcare?
Understanding impulse control may help in designing interventions for addiction and obesity.
What is a real-world example of impulse control problems?
Addiction—individuals with lower impulse control struggle to resist short-term rewards, leading to continued substance abuse.
What is the key takeaway from Casey et al.’s study?
Self-control is a stable trait, influenced by brain function, and can predict behavior from childhood to adulthood.