The effects of attention to symbolic presentation of contingent rewards, in the form of slide-presented images, on children's ability to wait for the delayed reward were investigated. Attention to the symbolic contingent rewards greatly increased the duration of the children's delay of gratification. (Author/KM)

The research concerned the association of neutral objects, such as nonsense syllables, with rewards, such as money and candy, in children. Thirty-six subjects were obtained from grades two through six of local public elementary schools in Nashville, Tennessee. Associations between neutral objects and rewards were formed in a task concerning…