Sandra is 4-years old and has been left alone in a room with a plate of cookies and a bell. Sandra was instructed by Dr. Mischel that if she could wait 15 minutes, she could get an even bigger reward, like two cookies, but if she could not wait she was to ring the bell to summon the experimenter. Sandra was able to wait for the bigger reward across several trials. What does this predict about Sandra's behaviour as an adolescent?

Question

a. Although she is able to delay gratification now, she will experience a rebound effect and engage in frequent impulsive behaviour in her teenage years.
b. Sandra has a calm temperament but restrained individuals who constantly delay their gratification tend to explode violently as adults.
c. Sandra will likely have a superior ability to cope with stress and frustration in adolescence and not engage in as much impulsive and reckless behaviours as other teenagers.
d. Although Sandra displays early self-control, these behaviours are unrelated to her behaviour in adolescence.

Answer 1

Answer: c. Sandra will likely have a superior ability to cope with stress and frustration in adolescence and not engage in as much impulsive and reckless behaviours as other teenagers.