Date of Award

4-1990

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. R. Wayne Fuqua

Second Advisor

Dr. Galen Alessi

Third Advisor

Dr. Jack Michael

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

The present study attempted to determine whether offering a reward to subjects for "commiting" to a large, delayed-reward task affected their degree of self-control as assessed by the "switch point." Two boys and two girls between the ages of three and five participated.

The results of this study indicate that providing a reward for making a commitment to a future behavior involving a large, delayed-reward task does have an effect on a child's degree of self-control as measured by the "switch point." In addition, the "switch point" has been shown to be a useful tool for assessing a child's degree of self-control.

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