Hello hello,

How have you been?

We are back with our classes of psychology.

“Gratification” is what we are going to share about, more!

 

A simple mention of it in the search engines available will bring up words like “delayed gratification” and or “instant gratification”.

“Delayed gratification is the ability to postpone an immediate gain in favor of greater and later reward.”

 

Photo credit: LinkedIn

 

That said, I must mention that there is a direct opposite of delayed gratification called “instant gratification”.

With instant gratification, there must be the element of immediate fulfillment of a person’s needs or desires.

 

The word, “gratification” has to do with a pleasurable emotional reaction of happiness in response to a fulfillment of a desire or goal.

In other words, when you work hard at achieving something e.g. learning how to play a musical instrument and it so happens that you have actually learned, then you feel gratified, satisfied or happy with yourself!

 

When you get to resist the temptation of instant pleasure,

You are holding out in the hope of getting a much better or bigger reward in the future.

As we speak of the future, we can look at it in the short term or in the long term.

 

Photo credit: CBMC International 

 

It can be a good thing to delay your gratification and it can be a bad thing to delay your gratification.

Research has it, for example, that children that have been raised in the light of delaying gratification grow up being less distressed by life events and happenings than children who have grown up used to instant gratification.

That is to say, they do not get upset when they do not get what they want or their way; which is a very different case for those used to instant gratification.

 

On the other hand, delaying gratification can mean starting a battle inside your head and body.

How?

Let me shed some light!

 

Photo credit: The Tartan

 

Human beings are largely wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain.

I mean…who loves to cry all day and pity themselves, when they can be so happy the entire day, huh?

So, when we delay gratification, it is as though we have ordered the brain to feel pain and happiness at the same time!

 

In the human brain, pain and pleasure are handled by two different sections.

In there, we have something called a “neurotransmitter”.

The neurotransmitter that seeks pleasure is called the “Gamma aminobutyric acid” also known as “GABA”.

The GABA is an amino acid that occurs naturally in the body.

It’s work is to block or inhibit, certain brain signals and decrease activity in your nervous system hence bringing about a calming effect in you.

 

The neurotransmitter that is in charge of avoiding pain is called the “Glutamate”.

Glutamate is so much needed to keep your brain and nervous system working properly.

According to Cleveland Clinic, Glutamate plays a major role in shaping learning and memory.

Glutamate needs to be present at the right concentrations in the right places at the right time.

 

It’s truly fascinating how all these processes work within seconds, isn’t it?

Well, that has been our discussion for us today.

See you soon in our next class of psychology.