The present experiment was designed to investigate the effect of magnitude of differences in reward on preference for immediate versus delayed reinforcement. 28 6- to 7-yr.-olds and 56 10- to 12-yr.-olds were tested under each of the two experimental conditions. Under Condition 1 subjects were offered a choice between a small immediate or medium delayed reward; under Condition 2 between a small immediate or large delayed reward. A significant difference in preference as a function of magnitude differences was obtained. Differences in preferences with age were not demonstrated.
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