Self-control skills of children have been proven to be an important predictor of children’s development and success in future (e.g., Finkenauer, Engels, & Baumeister, 2005; Shoda, Mischel, & Peake, 1990). Previous studies showed that self-control skills differ in people from different cultural backgrounds (e.g., Mischel, 1961; Trommsdorff, 2009). Therefore, the present study aims to extend the current knowledge on self-control skills in children by conducting the delay of gratification task in two different cultural contexts (i.e., Germany and Iran) to explore the effects of culture on self-control skills of preschool children.

Bibliography

• Finkenauer, C., Engels, R. C., & Baumeister, R. F. (2005). Parenting behaviour and adolescent behavioural and emotional problems: The role of self-control. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 29(1), 58-69.
• Mischel, W. (1961). Delay of gratification, need for achievement, and acquiescence in another culture. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 62(3), 543-552.
• Shoda, Y., Mischel, W., & Peake, P. K. (1990). Predicting adolescent cognitive and self-regulatory competencies from preschool delay of gratification: Identifying diagnostic conditions. Developmental psychology, 26(6), 978-986.
• Trommsdorff, G. (2009). Culture and development of self‐regulation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 3(5), 687-701.

Study Information

Duration of the study: 2017 to 2020

Project Team

• Parvin Nemati (Department of Psychology)
• Dr. Johanna Schmid (LEAD Graduate School & Research Network and Department of Psychology)
• Prof. Dr. Caterina Gawrilow (LEAD Graduate School & Research Network and Department of Psychology)
• Prof. Dr. Hans-Christoph Nürk (LEAD Graduate School & Research Network and Department of Psychology)

Funding

• German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD