Hacker News Reader

Comment by Ygg2 | Hacker News Reader

Sure it's replicated. It disappears when you control for affluence of parents.

I.e. it's a covert test if parents are rich.

I know it's super taboo to consider especially in the current climate but is it possible that people who have high self control are more likely to become rich because of their ability to delay gratification and that therefore those genes will be passed on to their children?

Biology will select against this. All primate females seem to be much more attracted by bold males taking risks, and more prone to use sex to appease dominant males showing violent episodes. The opposite argument could be equally valid.

The only thing that children of rich parents share is to have rich parents. One of the parents being over the mean in the "beautiful" trait, is also very common.

If I understand correctly, you're asserting that that's causal--that being born into affluence causes children to develop in a way that leads to them "passing" the marshmallow test.

Do you have evidence to exclude other possible interpretations, such as the possibility that children resisting the temptation of a marshmallow and their parents being rich are actually the effects of some other underlying single cause?

> If I understand correctly, you're asserting that that's causal--that being born into affluence causes children to develop in a way that leads to them "passing" the marshmallow test.

Stop and think.

If you are rich that marshmallow is probably very bland or you've eaten very well today. So maybe two makes more sense.

If you aren't, that marshmallow is super tasty and you probably didn't eat well today. Plus do you believe that grownup when your mom was lying. Someone might come and eat it.

Then some time passes. Rich kids grow up and are more successful. Delayed gratification is key to success!

https://behavioralscientist.org/try-to-resist-misinterpretin...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com