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Cognitive representation of rewards in delay of gratification

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Abstract

A study was conducted comparing the effects of two modes of cognitively representing rewards on delay of gratification. Nursery school children were told to think about the rewards in a delay situation as either “real” or “pictures.” They were also given instructions designed to elicit either arousal or cueing functions of the cognitive representations. It was found that previously obtained differences of focusing on actual or symbolic rewards were found also when the children represented the rewards cognitively. It was also found that, consistent with our hypothesis, there was an interaction between cognitive representation and instructional set. These results are discussed in terms of Berlyne's (1960)and Estes's (1972)distinction between two functions of a reward stimulus.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of California at Santa Barbara, 93106, California, USA

    Bert S. Moore

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  1. Bert S. Moore
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Moore, B.S. Cognitive representation of rewards in delay of gratification. Cogn Ther Res 1, 73–83 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173506

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173506

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