Group Influences on Children’s Delay of Gratification: Testing the Roles of Culture and Personal Connections

• DOI: 10.1525/collabra.265
• Publication Date: 2020-01-08T10:20:09Z
• Authors: Yuko Munakata; Kaichi Yanaoka; Sabine Doebel; Ryan M. Guild; Laura E. Michaelson; Satoru Saito
• Keywords: Gratification; Delay of gratification; Outgroup; Ingroups and outgroups

Delaying gratification can be difficult, especially for children. Social factors such as group norms influence whether children delay and may shape their life trajectories. However, influences have been tested experimentally only in American contexts not generalize, given differences among cultures personal connections dynamics. We the of groups on delaying 106 Japanese preschoolers. Extending previous findings with preschoolers, also delayed valued more if they believed that (and an outgroup did not) than did). Group identity shifted toward when had a connection to outgroup, but nonetheless followed behavior ingroup gratification. These highlight similarities potential social across cultures, underscore importance cross-cultural work theories development.