Keywords

screen use, young children, delay of gratification, incentives, child success, screen media

Abstract

In a digital age where screens are as ubiquitous as crayons once were, the relationship between screen use and a child’s development necessitates examination. This study investigates the effect of screen use—both by children and their parents—on children’s ability to delay gratification, a key predictor of future success. Utilizing an experimental design modeled after the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment, we found that children’s screen use did not significantly affect their ability to delay gratification. However, parental screen use for entertainment purposes was negatively associated with children’s capacity to delay gratification. Additionally, screens proved to be a more potent temptation than traditional treats in a delayed gratification task. These findings suggest that parental screen behavior may be a more salient candidate for interventions than children’s screen use. This study calls for a reevaluation of existing models of delayed gratification in the context of digital influences, opening avenues for future research.

Original Publication Citation

Richardson, B., Fife, P.T., Crane, C., Steed, J., & Gaskin, J. (2024) “The New Marshmallow: The Effects of Screen Use on Children's Ability to Delay Gratification,” European Conference on Information Systems, Cyprus.

Document Type

Conference Paper

Publication Date

2024

Publisher

European Conference on Information Systems

Language

English

College

Marriott School of Business

Department

Information Systems Management

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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