It's really an art postpone gratification. According to Joachim de Posada , this is the main factor for success.

A professor of Stanford made ​​the following experiment: a 4 year old child was left alone in a room with a marshmallow. The challenge of the Prince was going without food delicacy for 15 min. Upon returning to the room, the teacher would give sweet one second if the goal was reached.

What was noted that two out of three children ate the marshmallow before the return of the teacher. The other third would take the desired object and smelled, walked around, showed anxiety, played with other things, but not eating.

As part of this experiment, the professor noted, 15 years after that 100% of children who could not wait to eat the marshmallow were more successful in their attempts than those who ate it. They had good performance in school and in sports-related well with parents, friends and teachers.

Since most children who could not wait had problems at school or even abandoned. They had bad grades and not so healthy relationships.

In the video below, you may see a repetition of the experiment done with children in Colombia conducted by Joachim de Posada. It's hilarious to see children's behavior upon challenge. You will laugh!

To learn more, read the book Do not Eat the Marshmallow ... Yet , where Joachim explains the importance of self-discipline and persistence to achieve success.

This experiment is the most intriguing of all of which involve the study of human behavior. In 1971, Philip Zimbardo , former president of the American Psychological Association and today a professor at Stanford University , decided to test at least curious to transform the Department of Psychology in a simulated prison. The aim was to assess how people react when they were considered normal subjected to a radical change in the normal roles of their lives.

"Rock'n Roll": Zimbardo (E) could not imagine what would happen.

Volunteers showed up after answering a newspaper advertisement. A series of reviews were made, to enable the choice of people who were with good health and that were stable mentally. All were college students, males, and were divided arbitrarily into 12 guards and 12 prisoners. Zimbardo decided that would be part and also was elected Superintendent of Jail. The experiment lasted two weeks.

To make a real situation, the "prisoners" were arrested by the "guards" on cars with siren. They had their fingerprints taken, blindfolded and placed in a cell. They took off their clothes, were sanitized with vermifuge, had their hair cut, uniform and won a number and had a chain holding his feet. The guards wore uniforms and batons. All ready for the start of the experiment.

It took two days for the prisoners start a rebellion against his imprisonment. The beds were placed cons doors and guards insulted. These, then, thought it was a good time to use fire extinguishers against the rebels. If not enough, the prisoners left naked and take their beds, so that forced them to sleep on the floor.

From there, hell prevailed. The offense did not stop more. The bathroom use was restricted by guards who forced prisoners to clean them with his own hands. Detainees were forced to do humiliating exercises. Even Zimbardo, who conducted the experiment, became overwhelmed by the role of Superintendent, becoming a rigid institutional figure. For him, the biggest concern it the security of the prison and welfare of participants was relegated to the background.

With only six days, the experiment was interrupted by Zimbardo, with several guards did not agree with the order. The prisoners were psychologically exhausted. It was better stop now before something worse happened.

"And what does all this have to do with me?"

You know those cases that we see on television, guards ill-treating torture innocent or evil? Yeah, it's very likely that you also act the same way as the inquisitors.

Psychologists who have studied more on this subject showed that it keeps you from physically torturarmos people around us is the fear of repercussion. The Stanford Prison experiment showed that it is only to give an absolute power over someone that the person begins to take it as possession and treat it as an object.

This sense of ownership creates attachment and probably caused the man did so many wars, even in the name of religion. Perhaps therein lies one of the reasons we treat our planet with such disregard, subjugating other species and polluting it incessantly. It seems they really are born with some screws and unless we have a long journey to reach a more advanced stage.

Meanwhile, pay attention to yourself, because the next case of gratuitous violence can be played by you.

Watch the video below, produced by Discovery Channel .

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Sources:

Zimbardo, PG (1972). The Stanford Prison Experiment to Simulation Study of the Psychology of Imprisonment. Philip G. Zimbardo, Inc.

http://www.mindpowernews.com/5Psychological.htm .

http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/09/our-dark-hearts-stanford-prison.php .