The Nature of the Conflict in Delay of Gratification

Summary Five hundred fifty-six Israeli male and female fifth graders received two hypothetical delay of gratification questions in counterbalanced orders. One required a choice between an immediate and a more valuable but delayed reward, the other required Ss to predict a smart child's choice under similar circumstances. Although choices in both cases tended to be similar, Ss attributed significantly more delay of gratification to the smart child than they displayed themselves. The results are discussed in relation to valueexpectancy theory, which sees behavior as stemming from utility considerations, and psychoanalysis, which sees it as the outcome of a conflict between pleasure and reality-principle functioning.