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Self-Control and Impulsiveness in Preschool Children

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Abstract

Eleven girls and nine boys, aged 41–59 months, chose repeatedly, under controlled laboratory conditions, between one sticker available immediately and three stickers available after 30 s. On the average, the children chose the immediate one sticker more often than the three delayed stickers (i.e., they more often demonstrated impulsiveness than self-control). The boys showed significantly more impulsiveness than did the girls. These data are consistent with other data collected using related procedures and preschool children, but they are in contrast to those collected using procedures very similar to those used here but with adult humans, who tend to show self-control. This research establishes a methodology and points to future directions for quantitative examination of the determinants of self-control in preschool-aged subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-2500, USA

    A. W. Logue

  2. Central Connecticut State University, USA

    Adolfo Chavarro

Authors
  1. A. W. Logue
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  2. Adolfo Chavarro
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Correspondence to A. W. Logue.

Additional information

This research was supported in part by Nsf Grant Bns-8416302, A. W. Logue, Principal Investigator, and by a Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research to Adolfo Chavarro.

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Logue, A.W., Chavarro, A. Self-Control and Impulsiveness in Preschool Children. Psychol Rec 42, 189–204 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03399597

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