Casey Et Al

Question 1

Background into Casey et al (2011) study on delay of gratification

Answer 1

The marshmallow test

Question 2

Aims into Casey et al (2011) study on delay of gratification

Answer 2

To investigate whether the ability to delay is a consistent personality trait

Question 3

Design method into Casey et al (2011) study on delay of gratification

Answer 3

Longitudinal study conducted over 40 years the present part of the study involved. Two quasi experiments, independent measures design.

IV in both experiments, whether the participants were high, the layers or load of layers is established by initial test of delayed gratification when age 4 to 6 years old

DV. Experiment one = reaction, time and accuracy on certain go no go tasks.

Dv-experiment, two activity errors of the brain associated with cognitive control

Question 4

Sample into Casey et al (2011) study on delay of gratification

Answer 4

Experiment one= 59 participants, 32 High delayers (20 women, 12 men, mean age, 44.6 years) and, 27 low delayers (16 women, 11 men, men, age, 44.3 years

Experiment. Two = 27 of the participants in experiment one one excluded due to poor performance leaving 26 participants

Question 5

Materials/Apparatus

Answer 5

Neutral and emotional faces from nim stems set of facial characteristics, laptop, in experiment, one and FMRI scanner and experiment two.

Question 6

Procedure

Answer 6

An experiment one participants tested on laptops in own homes. Participants were given go, no go task.(photo of a man/women’s face.) and had to press a button on any trial with photo match the target.(go.) and not press a photo did not match the target.(no go)

Participants told to respond as quickly and accurately as possible
Photographs shown for 500 ms with one second interval between photographs 160 trials presented per run

Participant had two runs a hot version of faces with emotional expressions therefore happy and a cool run with neutral faces

Experiment. Two
Only the hot version was run with 70 go and 26 Nogo trials for each expression (fearful and happy)

An MRI sprain scan was used to assess brain activity during this task

Question 7

Results?

Answer 7

In experiment were participants who were high delays, as children were better at impulse control as adults

An experiment to load layers committed more false alarms than high delayers on the no trials

Question 8

Conclusion

Answer 8

 adults who could delay gratification as children continue to be able to delay as adults

Question 9

Research method and techniques

Answer 9

+ a quasi experiment permits to study of behaviour that cannot be manipulated e.g. ability to delay gratification

+ the research is useful because loads of layers are prone to undesirable physical and mental health problems. So teaching better impulse control can help improve lives.

-in a longitudinal study, some participants dropout called attrition, which bias is example, for example, the low delays remaining an experiment to maybe more aggressive which could act as an extremely variable

Question 10

Reliability

Answer 10

The reliability of MRI scans is not as good as some believe a review by Bennett and Miller 2010 study suggested that consistency between measurements can be lowest 30% e.g. because of poor equipment. No reliability data was provided in this core study.

Question 11

Sampling bias 

Answer 11

+ the sample in the study was large. This was possible because Casey could draw on participants from the 1972 study children who went to the bing nursery at Stanford University.

-The study is relevant to certain cultural groups and not others as an American individualist bias mate over emphasise the importance of delay of gratification which may be less important and collectivist groups.

Question 12

Types of data

Answer 12

Quantitative data experiment, one measured reaction times and the number and percentage of false alarms experiment to use information about brain activity and volume from MRI scans

Question 13

Ethical considerations

Answer 13

+ both experiments had institutional review board approval and all participants provided consent

-Load of layers may have experienced loss of self-esteem psychological harm as it regarded as desirable to be able to control one’s impulses

Question 14

Ethnocentrism

Answer 14

The self-control investigated has a very individualist orientation e.g. focuses on the individuals need to control impulses for better performance

Collective societies may focus on how impulse control benefits group needs as a whole