Children’s Response Speed as a Function of Delay of Reward at Different Distances from the Goal and Incentive Value

Fifty-six kindergarten children were each administered 19 immediately-rewarded trials followed by nine trials with delayed reward on a lever-pulling apparatus. The Ss formed four groups according to incentive value and distance of delay from the goal. The starting speed of children decreased after the introduction of delay. The inhibiting effect of delay was significant only near the goal. The incentive variable did not enter into any significant relationship