Relations among Temperament, Self-regulatory Strategies and Gender in Predicting Delay of Gratification.

Fang Hong,Gary W Evans,Angelica Lopez,Stacey N Doan

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01925

Fang Hong, Gary W Evans + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01925

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Abstract

Self-regulation is associated with many positive outcomes, but there is limited information about individual difference regarding children’s spontaneous use of strategies to self-regulate and the relative success of those strategies. In the current study, we examined whether temperament and gender are associated with self-regulation and explored the types of spontaneous strategies children use during Mischel’s delay of gratification protocol. In addition, we investigated whether spontaneous strategy use during the task could moderate the effects of temperament on self-regulation and whether temperament would mediate the effect of gender on self-regulation. Participants were 349 9-year-olds (182 boys, Mage = 9.18, SD = 1.17). Mothers reported on children’s temperament and the Delay of Gratification task was used to assess self-regulation. Both temperament and child’s gender were significantly associated with children’s delay time. Girls were able to delay longer than boys, and children scoring high on activity level were less able to delay. Activity level also mediated the relationship between gender and delay time. Finally, we found an interaction effect between activity level and certain strategies in relation to self-regulatory behavior.

Highlights

Self-regulation is conceptualized as “controlled, cognitive monitoring of the actions and steps required to obtain a goal, or to bring about a desired response from the environment” (Blair, 2003, p. 1)
In regard to the relationships among general effective strategy, ineffective strategy, and child temperament, we found that both total frequency and ratio of ineffective strategy were significantly negatively correlated with levels of the activity temperament and sociability temperament, but unrelated to emotionality
In the set of analyses, we investigated whether the relationship between child activity level and delay of gratification ability was moderated by the strategies the children used during the DoG task

Summary

Introduction

Self-regulation is conceptualized as “controlled, cognitive monitoring of the actions and steps required to obtain a goal, or to bring about a desired response from the environment” (Blair, 2003, p. 1). The ability to self-regulate one’s behaviors at a young age is associated with a host of subsequent positive outcomes, including social competence, academic success, and mental and physical health (e.g., Shoda et al, 1990; Kochanska et al, 2000; Calkins and Fox, 2002; Kochanska and Knaack, 2003; Baumeister and Vohs, 2004; Blair and Razza, 2007; Blair, 2010; Vohs and Baumeister, 2011; Mischel, 2014; Blair and Raver, 2015). The postponement of immediate gratification in pursuit of more attractive but delayed rewards, is central to effective self-regulation and adaptive social and behavioral development (Mischel et al, 1989; Mischel, 2014). Effective delay gratification in childhood predicts higher self-regulation in pursuit of goals as an adult (Moffitt et al, 2011). Poor performance in a delay of gratification (DoG) task during childhood is associated with delinquency and socially irresponsible behaviors, and predicts poor academic performance and compromised social and coping skills (Mischel, 1961, 2014; Mischel et al, 1988).

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