The Effects Of Different Distribute Patterns Of Delay Rewards On The Delay Of Gratification Of Three～Five Years Old Children

Delay of gratification is a core ingredient of self control. It is an important psychology capability which can help to guide and regulate individuals'behaviors when there is no external stimulus. In accordance with their comprehension of delay of gratification, some researchers use different experimental paradigms and obtain many significant conclusions. This allows a splendid studies scene in delay of gratification realm. But it is need to be tested for common use when the conclusions come from the studies which use different experimental paradigms. For example, Mischel use delay rewards distribute once paradigm in his studies, and Toner use delay rewards distribute one by one paradigm. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is probing the effects of different distribute patterns of delay rewards on the delay of gratification of three～five years old children. I hope this study can enrich theories in delay of gratification realm, and provide demonstration and theory evidences for teachers and parents cultivating the capability of delay gratification of their children.Using documentation and experimentation, the research investigates the differences of delay of gratification when three～five years old children be in two different situations. In one situation, the delay rewards distributed once, and in the other situation, delay rewards distributed one by one. 1. Children's waiting time in delay rewards distributed once situation (DOS) is markedly longer than in delay rewards distributed one by one situation (DOBOS). More three years old children express their willingness to wait for delay rewards in DOS than in DOBOS. Among three and five years old children, the percentage of people who finish waiting in DOS is markedly larger than in DOBOS. In every age group, the waiting time of children who choose to wait in DOS is markedly longer than the waiting time in DOBOS, and the number of children who choose to wait and finish waiting in DOS is larger than in DOBOS.2. There is a remarkable age discrepancy in three～five years old children's delay gratification capability. Four years old is a critical period of delay of gratification development.(1) In DOS, though with the increasing of age, there is an uptrend in percentage of children who are willing to wait and finish waiting, but all the differences don't reach significant level. For children who choose to wait for delay rewards, there is also no remarkable age difference in waiting time and the percentage of children who finish waiting.(2)In DOBOS, with the increasing of age, the number of children who willing to wait become more, and the discrepancy between three years old and four years old or three years old and five years old are remarkable. More four years old children finish waiting than three and five years old children. For children who choose to wait for delay rewards, the waiting time of four years old children is longer than three and four years old children's, but there is no remarkable age difference in the percentage of children who finish waiting.