Casey et al 2011

Question 1

background

Answer 1

cookie delay of gratification
self reports tests
theory

Question 2

cookie delay of gratification (background) explained

Answer 2

tested children from Stanford Uni age 4 on their ability to resist the immediate reward of a cookie for a long-term reward of 2 cookies

Question 3

self report tests (background) explained

Answer 3

tested some P age 20+30 using self control rating scales to test whether self control/impulsivity is a stable traits across the lifespan
=which would provide evidence for genetic explanation

Question 4

theory (background) explained

Answer 4

research suggests that there are 2 neurocognitive -patterns of brain activity and thought- systems involve in delaying gratification

Question 5

hot system (background theory)

Answer 5

activated by reward (ventral striatum) that focuses on hot clues (desirable cues of IMMIDATE reward EX taste, smell, texture in the cookie test)

Question 6

cold system

Answer 6

cool system activates to control impulses to achieve long term goals (right inferior frontal gyrus) focuses on cool cues (long term consequence of fulfilling an impulsive desire)

Question 7

aim Experiment 1

Answer 7

investigate whether the ability to delay gratification as a child predicts impulse control as an adult and to investigate the relationship between activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and ventral striatum and impulse control

Question 8

sample experiment 1

Answer 8

P tested at age 4,20,30
those who scored lowest were contacted their 40s
59 P total
32 high delayers ( 20F 12M)
27 low delayers (16F 11M)

Question 9

Procedure experiment 1

Answer 9

-given a go/no-go task
-told to press button in response to a
certain gendered face in photos flashing
in front of them (gender varied
throughout the study)
-cool trials
-hot task

Question 10

hot task

Answer 10

Participants are presented with happy or fearful faces. Happy faces are alluring so we want to respond and our ventral striatum is activated as a result.

Question 11

cool trials

Answer 11

P presented with neutral faces which do not activate the ventral striatum or inferior frontal gyrus.

Question 12

experiment design experiment 1

Answer 12

quasi experiment (did not manipulate if someone was a high or low delayer)

Question 13

method experiment 1

Answer 13

field experiment on laptops

Question 14

design experiment 1

Answer 14

repeated measures design (P did hot and cool trials)

Question 15

findings experiment 1

Answer 15

low delayers demonstrate poor impulse control (ability to supress button press during No-go trials) in response to alluring/ rewarding cues, showing the trait is stable over time. Low and high delayers performed similarly on the “cool” task but the low delayers tended to perform more poorly on the “Hot” task.

Question 16

aim experiment 2

Answer 16

investigate neural correlations of delay of gratification

Question 17

sample experiment 2

Answer 17

27 P from experiment 1 out of 59 agreed to take part
15 high delayers 10F 5M
11 low delayers 4F 7M

Question 18

method experiment 2

Answer 18

quasi
conducted in a lab
as experimenter didn’t manipulate who is a high/low delayer

Question 19

procedure experiment 2

Answer 19

same hot go/no-go task used in experiment 1
BUT carried out in an fMRI measuring brain activity when right/wrong choice were made in task

Question 20

equipment experiment 2

Answer 20

fMRI
5 button response panel
projector so pictures could be seen in scanner

Question 21

findings experiment 2

Answer 21

low delayers more sensitive to alluring social situations
resistance to temptation is a stable trait throughout life from 4-40
differences in brain region activity between high and low delayers

Question 22

high delayers had more… experiment 2 results

Answer 22

activity in the right frontal gyrus (control)

Question 23

low delayers had more… experiment 2 results

Answer 23

activity in the ventral striatum (motivational) (with happy faces-alluring cues)