Question

Why do psychologists characterize this period as "The play years? discuss the different types of play? Define the Marshmallow test. Who did research on this phenomena? What is the significance of the Marshmallow test? How do parents contribute to a child's ability to control his or her impulses? Why is one's ability to control one's impulses important when adapting to society? Do you know anybody in your life who does not have good impulse control? Why is it difficult to be around such people?

Answer 1

Psychologists characterise that play therapy is effective for children aged between 3-12 years, and thus they are referred to as "play years". According to Association For Play Therapy, play therapy refers to the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process, wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties, and achieve optimal growth and development.

There are different types of play. These are as follows:-

• Creative Play for Expressing Emotions- This involves creating with an artistic medium in a way that allows the child to express his feelings and emotions. Drawing and painting allow the child to get in touch with his emotions that might be away from his consciousness. For instance, the therapist may ask the child to draw a specific image or feeling, which is a way for the therapist to direct the play.

• Developing Social Skills- It is important for the child to make freinds, and to do so, the children have to learn how to relate to others. This involves learning skills that will help a child be assertive and less aggressive. It is vital that the children learn that their behavior has consequences, and that can be achieved through imaginative play that further reinforces the importance of social skills. For instance, the therapist can introduce dolls, puppets or other cloth toys that represent people or other children to replicate social situations during role play.

• Building Self Esteem- Its not always necessary in Play therapy to expose an emotion, but it might be used to build an emotion within the child itself. This can be achieved with drawing or other activities that generate a sense of independence and self esteem. The drawing activity could be directed play, wherein the therapist can ask the child to draw an accomplishment. For instance, the therapist can provide games where the child can excel and this can be used in a great way to generate self esteem through success in them.

Further, the other kinds of play involve Improved Communication and Dealing with Grief from a Loss.

MARSHMALLOW TEST

In order to study the conditions that promote delay of gratification, the American psychologist Walter Mischel along with his colleagues designed an experimental situation known as “the marshmallow test". In this, a child is asked to choose between a larger treat, such as two cookies or marshmallows, and a smaller treat, such as one cookie or marshmallow. After stating their preference for the larger treat, the child learns that to obtain that treat, it is necessary to wait for the experimenter to return. Also, the child is told that if he or she signals the experimenter, the experimenter will return and the child will receive the smaller treat. Thus, the smaller treat is available now, but the larger treat requires waiting. And to get the larger treat, the child must resist the temptation to get an immediate treat. Hence,the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment highlights the importance of impulse control in children.

The significance of the marshmallow test is that it is useful in both demonstrating the importance of the ability to delay gratification and in identifying strategies that make it possible for children to delay gratification. It was seen that children who were best able to wait in that situation when they were four years old were more socially and academically successful as high-school students and earned higher Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores. And, even the adolescents and teens who were adapted in this situation by the psychologist Edelgard Wulfert and her colleagues, also revealed that middle- and high-school students who waited a week for a monetary reward earned higher grades, showed less problem behaviour in school, and were less likely to use cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs than their peers who choose not to wait. Further, suggesting the importance of the marshmallow test in order to delay gratification.

Parents can contribute to a child's ability to control his or her impulses by:-

• Teaching the child to label his Feelings
• Asking the child to repeat the Directions
• Teaching them problem solving skills
• Teaching them anger management skills
• Establishing household rules
• Being a good role model

It is important for the individual to control their impulse while adaptiong to a society as having a lack of impulse control is the cause of many behavioural problems. So, it is vital to control one's impulses in order to ensure an environment of peace and harmony.

I've seen someone who has lack of impulse control and it is difficult to be around such people as they can be really hard to work with, which further leads to more conflicts and hence loss of productivity. The fact that such people are at risk of harming themselves, it becomes even more difficult to function with them. And, therefore it is important to help them control their impulse by teaching them anger management skills as well as helping them to repeat directions so they stay on track.