Methods for determining the level of willpower in primary school age
1. Putting one match into a box - the experimenter pours out matches from the box in front of the child and asks him: "Please put all the matches into the box, but they must be put one at a time - you cannot take several matches at once." An adult sits next to him and observes the child's actions. After some time, approximately when half of the work is already done, the adult gets up and says to the child: "I need to go away, and you continue to do the task, but don't forget that you still need to collect matches only one at a time." It is necessary to seat the subject in advance so that it is possible to return to the room unnoticed and observe how the matches are collected - whether the student has enough willpower to complete the task, meeting the goal, although no one is watching him.
2. "Graphic dictation". The subject's task is to correctly draw a pattern on a sheet of A5-sized checkered paper under dictation.
3. Coloring a Christmas tree - the student is given the following instruction: “Look at this picture. There is a Christmas tree here, but this Christmas tree is a Christmas tree. You color it, and the other guys will draw Christmas tree decorations on it. Don’t forget, when coloring, you must leave room for the Christmas tree decorations.”
4. Don’t say “Yes” and “No.” This technique is used to identify the level of arbitrariness and the ability to act according to the rule. Before the game, the rule is explained to the subject: “I will ask you questions, and you will give any answers without saying the words “yes” and “no.” Questions for the game:
1) Do you like going to school?
2) Do you like being friends with your classmates?
3) Do you like studying?
4) Do you like your teacher?
5) Do you want to study for only A’s?
6) Do you like doing your homework?
7) Many people say that studying at school is interesting. Do you agree with that?
8) Do you learn anything interesting in your lessons at school?
9) To study well, you need to be able to read and write, right?
10) Do you want to go back to kindergarten?