Would You Eat the Marshmallow?

[Love]

There have been some studies in psychology that indicate you are born with (or very quickly develop) either an impatient/satisfaction-seeking brain or a patient/disciplined brain. One of the supporting experiments called the "Marshmallow Test" is probably the simplest example of this. Basically:

1. A child is given a marshmallow by the researcher.

2. The researcher explains that she will leave, and the child can either eat the marshmallow, or wait until she returns with another marshmallow.

3. The child is told that by eating the first marshmallow before the researcher's return, he will not receive the second marshmallow.

4. The expected length of time is not revealed to the subject.

Children that choose to eat the marshmallow tend to lean towards satisfaction; children that wait lean towards discipline (consequentialists).

So, my question to you is, would you "eat the marshmallow"? Are you more prone to making decisions to satisfy immediately, or are you more patient and tend to look towards the end result? There is no "better" option.

Feel free to take the question literally or metaphorically.

[Evilmau5]

I'd probably wait. As long as I wasn't sitting there for 20 minutes or half an hour, I could probably resist and get two.

[Rivergrey]

At 10/27/11 12:03 PM, Natick wrote: INB4: S'mores, anyone?

I'd make a s'more on a fire in the meantime and wait for the researcher. That way I exhibit both patience and a certain degree of culinary skill. :33

[Asandir]

I don't even eat marshallows, I wouldn't eat the first or even the second one. But okay. Let's say that the researcher gives me an apple and that I will get a second one when he returns and I didn't eat the first apple. I would wait until the researcher comes back, so that I get a second apple. But I would eat the first apple if I get so hungry that I can't resist anymore to eat this fruit.

[Mismo]

I would just eat the marshmallow. Fuck waiting.

[Razz]

I'd probably eat it, as a child I would probably wait.

Why? As an adult, I know that if I eat the marshmallow I can just leave and buy more if I really want. As a child, I'm given just about everything instead of getting it myself. So if I want it, I have to be good; which sometimes means waiting.

[Gimmick]

I don't eat marshmallows. Suppose it was an orange or a tangerine, and I get a new one when the person comes back, then I'll wait. Suppose if he took so long that I eventually became hungry, then who cares about the second one? I'll just eat the tangerine/orange.

[Shadria]

I'd probably wait for about 5 minutes and if the researcher didn't show up then I'd eat the marshmallow.

[NekoMika]

At 10/27/11 12:06 PM, Asandir wrote: I don't even eat marshallows, I wouldn't eat the first or even the second one. But okay. Let's say that the researcher gives me an apple and that I will get a second one when he returns and I didn't eat the first apple. I would wait until the researcher comes back, so that I get a second apple. But I would eat the first apple if I get so hungry that I can't resist anymore to eat this fruit.

Same here. I would rather be given apples than marshmellows. Wait for the second apple then chow down.

[Nemo103]

Nah, i wouldnt eat it

[DarkShadowblade]

Wouldn't it be smarter just to eat half of the first marshmallow? Technically you didn't eat the full marshmallow, meaning you should get the second one as well.

[Nentindo]

I would probably nibble the marshmallow a bit, because even reading about marshmallows made my mouth water, but I know it would be more sensible to wait for another one.

[Grammer]

Waiting makes more sense to me, if I can get double the amount later on. Isn't that common sense?

[Love]

At 10/27/11 02:08 PM, DarkShadowblade wrote: Wouldn't it be smarter just to eat half of the first marshmallow? Technically you didn't eat the full marshmallow, meaning you should get the second one as well.

I believe eating half (or a portion) of the first marshmallow results in no reward. It's funny, because many of the subjects tried this.

[420SWED]

i would eat half the marshmallow so what does this mean

[Lolzer]

I probably could wait. But it'd be hard.

[The-Great-One]

I have always been more patient to get a better result in the end. Simple philosophy, patience is a virtue and your patience will be rewarded.

[SnakeSkull]

Insert Marshmallow sex joke here.

I would start a fire in preparation for the second marshmallow.

[Love]

At 10/27/11 02:15 PM, 420SWED wrote: i would eat half the marshmallow so what does this mean.

Most testers would designate this as a "forfeit", but if I conducted the experiment myself, I would remove half of the second marshmallow.

[Cordyceps]

Eat it. And then say I lost it.

Suddenly, it is a far more interesting psychology experiement.

[Wolfos]

At 10/27/11 02:19 PM, Cordyceps wrote: Eat it. And then say I lost it.

Suddenly, it is a far more interesting psychology experiement.

It is.

[Boss]

i would probably stretch it open and fuck the marshmellow

then fuck the 2nd one

GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!!!!!

[POTaTOS]

I'm not a fan of marshmallows. I'd just eat it when I got it to avoid having to eat more.

[MadCow]

idk it depends how horny i am tbh

[cATbYtE]

it depens on how hungry i am. I'd probrably wait, get the second marshmellow, then when on my way home get a whole back of marshmellows.

[fuzzum111]

If I have the choice of going to taco bell now and paying for my food.

Or waiting an hour for my dad to get home and having -him- buy lunch? I'd rather wait.

[Bobbybroccoli]

Now I would wait for the second marshmallow, but this test is biased to be given to 13 year-olds an older, snce this test is to test brain patterns in early stages of life.

[Love]

At 10/27/11 03:54 PM, fuzzum111 wrote: If I have the choice of going to taco bell now and paying for my food.
Or waiting an hour for my dad to get home and having -him- buy lunch? I'd rather wait.

Well this scenario incorporates some sort of loss through instant satisfaction, but I see where you're going with it.

At 10/27/11 04:02 PM, Bobbybroccoli wrote: Now I would wait for the second marshmallow, but this test is biased to be given to 13 year-olds an older, snce this test is to test brain patterns in early stages of life.

Right; so, maybe you would like to take the question metaphorically and translate it into something more valuable such as money or a car and bump up the timeframe to years or even decades.

[DarkMatter]

What if kids just don't like masrhmellows on their own?

[111122223138]

I'd wait; More mallow' for later!