Final answer:
The characteristic of controlling impulses and delaying immediate pleasures for long-term goals is known as delayed gratification, which involves will power and self-regulation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ability to control one's impulses and delay immediate pleasures in pursuit of long-term goals is most clearly a characteristic of delayed gratification. Delayed gratification, or the ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward and wait for a later reward, is related to self-regulation, which is also known as will power. In Mischel's marshmallow test, children who displayed greater self-regulation and therefore could delay gratification, were found to have higher SAT scores and better life outcomes later in life. This aspect of personality is distinct from self-efficacy, which is the belief in one's own ability to succeed, and locus of control, which refers to the extent to which individuals believe they can control events affecting them.