Telegraph

A test of both general ability and much else besides was discovered by psychologists in the late 1960s. No examinations are involved, no questionnaires, or psychometric testing. All it requires is a bag of marshmallows.

The Marshmallow Test emerged during studies by Walter Mischel and his colleagues at Stanford University into the ability of children to delay gratification. In a series of experiments, they measured this ability by putting a marshmallow on a plate and telling the child that he can help himself – or wait until the researcher gets back in 15 minutes, in which case he will be given an extra marshmallow.

Predictably enough, some of the children wolfed down the marshmallow immediately, while others decided to wait and get the bigger reward. The researchers were struck by how those who waited devised ways of avoiding temptation, from talking or singing to themselves to inventing simple games; one even decided to doze off.

The real surprise, however, came a decade later, when Prof Mischel and his colleagues tracked down the children to see what kind of people they were turning into. They found that the children who had been best at delaying gratification had better academic and social skills. They typically achieved much higher Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, were less likely to be distracted, more motivated to succeed and were better at making and keeping friends.

In short, the Marshmallow Test appears to do a very good job of revealing which children are most likely to turn into bright, motivated and well-rounded young adults. The bad news for schools harbouring an illegal desire to recruit such pupils is that Prof Mischel’s results come from tests of the self-control of pre-school children aged four to five.

I shall try this on my 5 year old this weekend…