A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

Which key concept did Casey et al (2011) investigate regarding delay of gratification?

1. It is entirely a learned behavior

2. It is potentially a consistent personality trait

3. It varies significantly among all individuals

4. It has no correlation with brain function

The correct answer is: It is potentially a consistent personality trait

The investigation by Casey et al. in 2011 focused on the idea that delay of gratification is potentially a consistent personality trait. Their study examined how individuals who had previously demonstrated the ability to delay gratification as children continued to display similar behaviors as adults, suggesting that this trait may be stable over time. The research indicated that those who could delay gratification at a young age tended to show different patterns of brain activity related to self-control in adulthood, indicating that the ability to resist immediate temptation could be linked with inherent personality traits rather than solely learned behaviors or individual variability. This correlation between earlier behavior and later brain function supports the concept of delay of gratification as a trait that individuals carry into adulthood, reinforcing the premise of its consistency across different stages of life.