Comments on: Time Preference and Marshmallows

By: Gil

Gil — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:16:11 +0000

“I still think IQ is a better predictor.” – OneSTDV.

Which is to say . . .? A simpler question is whether the ability to engage in delayed gratification is genetic or learned behaviour? If is learned behaviour, does the behaviour have to be taught at an early age (before the age of ten) or can the behaviour be learned at any age?

By: OneSTDV

OneSTDV — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:34:43 +0000

I still think IQ is a better preditor.

Does the study have data concerning the relationship between time preference and IQ? I imagine time preference requires reasoning skills imperative for high-IQ. I’d be surprised if IQ wasn’t a subset skill of time preference or vice-versa.

I discuss these issues and libertarianism at my blog:

OneSTDV.blogspot.com

By: newson

newson — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:01:23 +0000

“success” sounds boring.

By: Gil

Gil — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:46:06 +0000

Such a study is a bit of a bummer – it suggests certain traits are lifelong and can’t really be changed. However, jason, the Spartans were way ahead of you – they would cull the weak babies of the warrior class and (via the Krypteria) cull anyone of the working class who showed any initiative.

By: Robert Blumen

Robert Blumen — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:37:17 +0000

The article does raise the possibility that time preference is a genetic trait.

By: Bruce Koerber

Bruce Koerber — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:14:35 +0000

My first encounter with economics left me with an understanding of deferred gratification. That gave me an appreciation of the conceptual nature of economics which quite a few years later was greatly awakened when I learned about macroeconomics from a premier Austrian macroeconomics professor – Dr. Roger Garrison.

Time preference is an economically more accurate and a more precise way of understanding deferred gratification.

By: jason

jason — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:57:15 +0000

I wonder how this correlates to families and genetics? I have a theory that states also influence the genetics of the population through coercion, thus pushing the population to higher time preferences. See, there is another level to our genome called the epigenome that is influenced by your everyday actions, diet and such. Research has determined that this epigenome is passed to children, thus in a weird way sins are passed down to children.

Though the statist interpretation is that, through coercion the epigenome may be altered for the better of the group thus facilitating a modern form of eugenics, I do not think they realize the damage they may be doing to the genome through there violent interference. I do not think they take into account the long term consequences from interference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics

By: Ball

Ball — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:49:37 +0000

This reminds me of some kids at a grocery store I used to frequent, buying bulk candy in the isle. They had earned their own money and were commenting on which bags of candy were a “rip-off” and so on. Later, at the checkout stand, there was another kid wailing his head off, trying to get his mother to buy him a single piece of candy.

I suspect a long time preference is a trait learned very early in life.