American psychologist who conducted the Stanford marshmallow experiment — and whose critique of personality traits and defense of situation-specificity transformed personality psychology.
Stanford marshmallow experiment: children who delayed gratification showed better life outcomes decades later — a study of enormous popular influence (though its replication has been complicated). Personality and Assessment (1968): a devastating critique of the evidence for cross-situational consistency of personality traits — sparked the person-situation debate. Cognitive-affective system theory (CAPS): a reframing of personality in terms of cognitive-affective units activated by situations.
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