casey (2011)- neural correlates of delay of gratification

Question 1

research method

Answer 1

quasi exp
The independent variable (IV) - whether the participant was a high delayer or a low delayer was naturally occurring and so could not be
manipulated or controlled by the researchers.
• The dependent variable (DV) was the performance on the impulse control task (in terms of reaction times and accuracy) in Experiment 1 and
the performance on the impulse control task (in terms of reaction times and accuracy) and imaging results using fMRI.
• The fact that some participants completed self-control scales when in their 20s and 30s and that those participating in Experiment 1 did both
the “hot” and “cool” go/nogo tasks means the study had, in parts, a repeated measures design.
• This was a longitudinal study which followed some of the original participants from the age of four years until they were in their 40s

Question 2

sample

Answer 2

562, four-year-old pupils from Stanford’s Bing Nursery School completed a delay-of-gratification task during the late 1960s and early 1970s

Question 3

outline procedure

Answer 3

Experiment 1

59 (23 males and 36 females) out of 117 who were contacted by Casey et al. participated in experiment 1. These participants were categorised as high-delayers or low-delayers based on the delay of gratification task and self-control measures.

32 were considered high-delayers (12 male, 20 female).

27 were considered low-delayers (11 male, 16 female).

Experiment 2

Of the 59 who participated in experiment 1:

27 (13 males and 14 females) part took in experiment 2 which used an fMRI machine (15 high-delayers and 11 low-delayers). One man was excluded from the sample for abnormally low performance.

cool and hot cues…. for exp 1
examine neural correlates of delay of gratification

Question 4

conclusions

Answer 4

Sensitivity to environmental hot cues plays a significant role in an individual’s ability to suppress actions toward alluring cues.
• Resistance to temptation as measured originally by a delay-of-gratification task is a relatively stable individual difference that predicts reliable
biases in frontostriatal circuitries that integrate motivational and control processes.
• The capacity to resist temptation varies by context, the more tempting the choice for the individual, the more predictive are the individual
differences in peoples’ ability to regulate their behaviour.
• Behavioural correlates of delay ability are a function not only of cognitive control but also of the compelling nature of the stimuli that must be
suppressed.
• Individuals who, at the age of four years, have difficulty delaying gratification and who continue to show reduced self-control abilities, have
more difficulty as adults in suppressing responses to positive social cues than those who don’t