Self-Regulation, Culture, and Academic Delay of Gratification

Abstract

The ability to delay short-term gratification to pursue valuable long-term goals is essential for personal and even societal success. We provide a review of the conceptual status of delay of gratification from the perspectives of volitional, expectancy-value, and self-regulation theories as well as evidence regarding the associations between academic delay of gratification (ADOG), motivational beliefs, and use of self-regulated learning strategies. Cultural factors are considered, specifically influences on the assessment and understanding of research on ADOG. Suggestions are provided for ways to facilitate self-regulation of learning and delay of gratification within and across cultural contexts.