The statistical test used in this psychological experiment is chi squared () it is used to find out if the data found during the experiment was significant or not. The results show that the data was significant so the alternate hypothesis is accepted, this is because the observed value was greater than the critical value (see result section) and it can be concluded that there will be a difference in whether males or females showed more signs of deferred or immediate gratification.
As mentioned in the Introduction the study using the fifty-three participants who were either instructed to smoke directly before the experiment or abstain from smoking three hours previously found that those who were had smoked before the experiment were less likely to choose immediate gratification. This study is very different from the current study as it takes into account the fact that the participants may have done or had something previously in order to suffice for the mean time, making it easier for them to postpone their need and wait for the reward at the end the current study main focus is on gender so what happened prior to the experiment is not taken into account. Another factor that makes these two studies different is the stimuli for the deferred or immediate gratification. The current research promises more sweet at the end whilst the smokers’ research promised money which may seem more enticing so more deferred gratification may possibly be shown. The findings were different due to the fact that they focused on different points, the smokers’ research focused on human indulgence compared at two different time intervals whilst the current research compared gender and which could defer their gratification more.
The next study mentioned in the Introduction that used seventy-nine university students who were asked to pick their favourite snack and if they could keep it till the end of the week then they would receive four Euros and keep the snack. They found (through self report) that the people who were hungry showed more deferred gratification. Again the findings are very different to that of the current research as the two studies focus on different areas of deferred gratification. This research is trying to see what type of people showed more deferred gratification and in this case it is people who want something badly (hungry people) that were willing to wait. Whereas the current study puts the individuals in two categories of male and female, therefore different results will be attained. However there is some similarities in the two studies on how they are conducted, the two studies both allow the