This study explored the relationships among children's performance on a simplified version of Kagan's Matching Familiar Figures (MFF) Test of conceptual tempo, their IQ, their performance on several measures of self-regulatory behavior, and their general activity level. Subjects were 55 preschool boys and girls. (Author/JMB)

Twenty-four deaf children (6 to 10 years old) were individually administered a task in which possession of accumulating candy rewards was made contingent upon the child stopping further accumulation. Ss, who under instruction periodically signed statements about the goodness of the reward, waited significantly longer before terminating the waiting…

The maintenance of self-imposed delay of gratification by preschool children was briefly examined in two studies. One study investigated the effects of overt verbalization on the delay behavior of 75 preschool children. Children who periodically spoke of the delayed reward during the delay task, regardless of whether they spoke positively or…

This study explored the hypotheses that (1) young children told (labeled) directly that they were "patient" by adults would demonstrate more subsequent self-control than children given an irrelevant label, and that (2) adult tester expectations regarding the children's self-control would influence only the subjects given the irrelevant…

The effect of having a child serve as a rule-following model for other children on the model's own subsequent rule-following was investigated in a resistance to deviation situation. A total of 45 middle-class boys in grades 1 and 2 were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions following instruction not to touch a set of attractive…

Examines the influence of verbalization on children's tendencies to postpone immediate gratification in terms of increased delayed reward. Subjects were 46 preschoolers ranging in age from 36 to 72 months. (MP)

The present study was conducted to determine if overt self-verbalization by the child during the waiting period would influence his delay maintenance behavior when the delayed reward was present. Subjects were 60 preschool girls in the age range of 33-72 months. Fifteen subjects were randomly assigned to each of four experimental conditions: (1)…

Peer modeling as a non-punitive disciplinary technique was examined in two studies assessing its effectiveness in increasing self-control of young children in the absence of an authority figure. The first study investigated the effect of observing the rule-following behavior of a peer model on the observing child's subsequent self-control.…

Investigates the influence on Scottish preschool children's self-control of labels regarding patience given directly to the children themselves, and of the expectations regarding the children's patience provided to adult testers. Childrens self-control was assessed in a task in which each child's possession of accumulating candy rewards was made…

Investigates the effect of being labeled "patient" among kindergarten, first- and second-grade girls in a self-imposed delay of gratification task making rewards contingent upon stopping further accumulation. Results are interpreted in terms of modifications in the child's self perceptions as a consequence of being labeled by an adult. (RH)

This study investigated the effect of labeling a girl as "patient" on the girl's subsequent self-imposed delay of gratification. Subjects were 78 girls from 5 1/2 to 9 years of age. In a delay task, each child's possession of accumulating candy rewards was made contingent upon her stopping further accumulation. Labeled girls waited longer than did…