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Deferred Gratification

The term delay discounting is also used in research to show the ability to delay immediate gratification. Delay discounting is defined as "the preference for smaller immediate rewards over larger but delayed rewards and to the well established fact that the subjective value of reward decreases with increasing delay to its receipt."

Psychoanalysis

The psychoanalytic term impulse control derives from the Freudian psychology theory of personality (Id, ego, and super-ego) wherein the Id is driven by the pleasure principle and primarily unconscious. The Ego is known as the reality principle and is the most conscious while mediating between the Id and Superego and the demands of reality. The Superego, sometimes referred to as the morality principle, embodies social constraints and moral obligations during conscious and unconscious states. The research that has been done on psychoanalysis and delayed gratification has grown exponentially over the past 50 years. There have been 2 distinct theoretical views that have been proposed. The first theoretical view was proposed around 1950. This view concerns individual differences in ego control which is defined as "the individual's generalized disposition or capacity to modulate and contain impulses, feelings and desires; to inhibit action." The second view relates to ego resiliency and that delayed gratification is "assumed to be adaptive, and so emphasis is placed on the cognitive competencies that constitute the "ability" to delay." This research done by Funder and Block showed that ego control, ego resiliency, and IQ involve some correlation between delayed gratification and the workings of the ego. The term ego control is defined as an individual's capacity to maintain impulses, feelings, and desires. Ego resiliency focuses on people that describe themselves as competent and intelligent individuals that adapt in situations under stress and can vary their strategies of functioning cognitively or behaviorally in certain contexts. That is the higher the motivation toward an immediate reward, the more pronounced individual differences will be concerning the functioning of each persons ego.

Research

Past research has focused on ego functioning in individuals that were considered normal individuals and also emotionally disturbed individuals. The findings show that there is no differences in these two groups and that both groups progress towards better performance as their age increases. A past study by Solnick et al., focused on an experiment where the main concentrations were time added to both conditions and the preference of the participants with experiencing a loud noise for variable amounts of time: 15, 30, 60, and 90 seconds. The buttons to turn off the noise were manipulated by one button turning off the noise for a short amount of time and the other turning the noise off for an extended time. The participants were found to be more willing to turn off the noise immediately for 90 seconds rather than turning it off for the 120 seconds after a 60 second delay was issued. Findings illustrate that participants chose not to delay their gratification for the relief of noise but rather instantly silence it for a shorter amount of time.

References

Anokhin, A. P., Golosheykin, S., Grant, J. D., Heath, A. C. (2011) "Heritability of Delay Discounting in Adolescence: A Longitudinal Twin Study", Behavioral Genetics, 41. p. 175-183.

Funder, D. C. & Block, J. (1989) "The Role of Ego-Control, Ego-Resiliency, and IQ in Delay of Gratification in Adolescence", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57. p. 1041-1050.

Segrist, D. J. (2009) "What's Going on in Your Professor's Head? Demonstrating the Id, Ego, and Superego", Teaching of Psychology, 36 p. 51-54.

Solnick, J. V., Kannenberg, C. H., Eckerman, D. A., & Waller, M. B. (1980) "An Experimental Analysis of Impulsivity and Impulse Control in Humans", Learning and Motivation, 11. p. 61-77.