Final answer:
Mischel's Paradigm, or 'The Marshmallow Test', assesses Delayed Gratification. This psychological test places a child in front of a marshmallow to see if they can wait for a second one, indicating self-control and predicting future success.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mischel's Paradigm, known as "The Marshmallow Test", is used to assess Delayed Gratification. The test involves putting a child in a room with a marshmallow and telling them they could either eat it immediately or wait for a period to receive a second marshmallow. Walter Mischel's study, which began in the 1960s, found that the ability of children to wait for the second marshmallow was an indicator of self-control and was correlated with future success, higher SAT scores, better peer relationships, and lower substance abuse issues among other positive outcomes. While Mischel's initial findings suggested a strong link between the ability to delay gratification and later success in life, subsequent studies have revisited and expanded upon these findings, taking into account broader and more diverse sample populations. The significance of the Marshmallow Test extends beyond measuring individual self-control, contributing to our understanding of self-regulation, a vital component of personality psychology.