Question

Directions: Review the marshmallow test videos in learning activity #1. As you revisit these videos/read the article, reflect on the concepts about motivation that are covered in this chapter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y6R5boDqh4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPZ5R9EA968

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/05/18/dont-2

In part 1 of this assignment, describe in 250 words how these concepts/theories explain the behavior exhibited by the children who participated in the marshmallow test. Example: Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic, Drive theory, Arousal Theory, etc.

In part 2 of this assignment, analyze the children’s emotional reaction to the situation. Using the James-Lange Theory, the Cannon-Bard Theory and/or the Schachter-Singer Theory, explain the emotional experiences of the children. Describe your answer to part 2 in 250 words.

Finally, answer the question: Do you think that the children who are aware of their feelings will be more successful with not eating the marshmallow? Why or why not?

Answer 1

According to the drive theory it would make sense why some of the children in the given test would not be able to resist the invite of a single marshmallow, indulging hence in instant gratification. There are also the fear of confounding variable that could potentially mar the results of the study, which could be the food intake of certain children; if one child had not eaten for a while before the experiment, it would be obvious why they would be driven to eat the one marshmallow than wait for the second on the basis of word of mouth - drive theory at play.

Although, young children seldom have a rational monologue if we are to look at piagets and eriksons stages of development theory.

There are fundamental differences between the two theories of emotion proposed by Cannon Bard and James Lange. According to the James Lange theory of emotion the elicitation of emotion is a consequence of the physical arousal, which an individual experience from a given situation (stimulus) - that can be seen in the marshmallow test quite evidently, marshmallow being the stimulus. That is, one is the conduit to another. This theory elucidates that each emotion elicits a different arousal response pattern. This could help children weigh the consequences.

Whereas in the Cannon Bard theory of emotion as we become cognizant of the stimulus we have the concurrent occurrence physical response (arousal) alongside the emotional response.  

And there is the two factor model of emotions, which is a bit more nuanced than the aforementioned two. Which throws an important component into the mix, which is cognitive appraisal. Cognitive appraisal is thinking and assessing - in this context it would be the assessment of the stimuli that brings afore the given arousal. This theory propounds that the emotion is decided by the intensity with which the arousal is experienced by a respective individual, and the emotions is further determined by the cognitive appraisal of the given situation. Children who delayed it further had a more developed emotional and rational control than their instant gratifying counterparts.

There exists quite a commonly used equation that with brevity consolidates the essence of the two theory model of emotion; it is as follows: E = C+A (E = Emotion; A= Arousal; C= Cognitive appraisal).

If we were to differentiate between the two styles of coping, then prima facie the emotion focused coping deals more so with the cognitive (theoretical) aspect of stress; and the problem focused coping deals more in terms of praxis (practical approach and specificity while dealing with a given stressor).

Emotion focused coping is the objective to eliminate or assuage the stemming of negative emotional responses vis a vis stressors.