Self-control has traditionally been defined as a choice between a larger,
delayed reward over a smaller, immediate reward (Ainslie, 1974; Rachlin and
Green, 1974). The current studies utilised a discrete trial paradigm to determine if young children are sensitive to amount and delay, if there are developmental
changes in children's preference for delayed rewards, and if children's choices on
a delay task are related to direct measures of their behaviour.
In Study 1, children between the ages of 3- and 5-years-old were presented
with a computer task and asked to chose between 1 sticker after 5s, or 3 stickers
after delays of 5- to- 200s. All of the children chose the larger reward less often as the delay increased.
Study 2 tested for developmental effects in children's preference for · delayed rewards. Children ages 4-, 6-, and 8-years-old chose to receive 1 reward after 2s, or 3 rewards after delays of 30-, 60-, or 120s. Data were collected for 30
minutes on their attention and activity levels in the classroom. All 3 groups of children chose the larger reward less often as the delays increased. The 8-yearolds chose the larger reward more often than the younger children at all levels of
delay. Their choices on the computer task did not correlate with the measures of classroom behaviour.
In Study 3, a group of hyperactive children and matched controls chose to receive 1 reward after a 2s delay, or 3 rewards after a 60s delay. Classroom data were collected for 3 mo_rnings using the same measures as in Study 2. The hyperactive children made more choices of the smaller, immediate rewards than their peers on the computer task and these choices correlated with their activity levels in the classroom.
It was concluded that children are sensitive to the amount and delay of reinforcement, and that there are both developmental effects and individual differences in children's preference for delayed rewards.