Actively withholding the hands from the reward predicts success on delay-of-gratification tasks in two- and three-year-olds¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associationalr2·q3
Currency · newest study 2019 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
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q3 i? A higher percentage of time spent actively withholding the hands (e.g., holding one hand with the other, hands under the table) predicts passing snack and gift delay tasks. → Mulder 2019
Evidence¶
Mulder 2019¶
Mulder, H., van Ravenswaaij, H., Verhagen, J., Moerbeek, M., & Leseman, P. P. M. (2019). The process of early self-control: an observational study in two- and three-year-olds. Metacognition and Learning, 14, 239–264. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-019-09199-3
q3 · i? · associational · r2
Logistic regression (snack delay, Model 3, N = 52, χ2(2) = 18.27*) showed hands withholding predicted task success (B = −0.03, p < .05, OR = .97); the gift delay model was also significant (χ2(2) = 13.89, OR = .97). The article states withholding behaviours "were predictive of task success".
"Hands withhold −0.03 (−3.67 to −0.01)* 1.18 .97"
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Older two- and three-year-olds have lower odds of failing delay-of-gratification tasks
- Probability of visual attention distraction, alone or combined with hands withholding, prevails after about 10–30 seconds of delay
- Percentage of time distracting visual attention away from the reward predicts success on delay-of-gratification tasks in two- and three-year-olds
- Successful two- and three-year-olds initiate distraction and withholding behaviours very early, within the first 10 seconds of delay on average — related
- Self-distraction and avoidance behaviours occur in nearly all successful toddlers but in a minority of unsuccessful ones — related
- Teacher-rated, but not parent-rated, self-control relates to the occurrence and timing of delay behaviours in toddlers — related
- Early ability to delay gratification predicts later academic and social outcomes, but the association is weaker and more context-dependent than originally reported. — related
- Executive function performance significantly predicts semantic fluency in preschool children — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
hands-withholding-predicts-toddler-delay-success |
title |
Actively withholding the hands from the reward predicts success on delay-of-gratification tasks in two- and three-year-olds |
description |
Actively withholding the hands from the reward predicts success on delay-of-gratification tasks in two- and three-year-olds |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2019 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-19 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — mulder-2019 |
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