Candy Test

The television monitor showed a young boy of about six sitting in a chair in a small drab room. In front of the chair was a small coffee table with one paper plate. Also in the room was a kindly-looking old lady who was holding a box of candy. The television showed the old lady talking to the boy, and the speakers attached to the television conveyed their conversation to the audience:

"Now Johnny, do you understand what I just told you?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Can you repeat it to me?"
"You will put some candy on this table. If I sit still and don't
touch it, you'll come in later and give me more candy."
"Very good, Johnny; do you want to be given more candy later?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good, I will be back soon to see how you behaved."

The telivision showed the old lady place a chocolate on the table and exit the room. The boy fidgeted for about three seconds, and then reached for and quickly ate the morsel.

At this point, Mrs. Stevenson a strangled gasp. Upon hearing this, Doctor Huffman turned off the television and turned to the distraught mother. But before he was able to say anything, she sobbed, "No, this can't be happening."

"It isn't your fault, Mrs. Stevenson. Many children show this behavior, it happens naturally. Over 40 percent of children fail the test. Some of them sit for several minutes before taking the candy. These are the borderline cases. But about ten percent are like Johnny; they instantly grab the candy. It shows that they don't understand or appreciate the consequences of their actions."

"But my son isn't a criminal; he is a good boy; you have to test some more, you have to give him another chance."

"Nobody said Johnny was a criminal, ma'am. Such children only turned bad in the old days. It is not a fate, it is a tendency, an inclination that can be dealt with."

He paused. "You know about the studies have shown the link between childhood actions and future criminality. But that was in the past, when these children were treated just like any other. It was tests like these that identified children before they had a chance, before they were given the temptation and opportunity to do bad things. These tests have helped our society a lot. You are far safer than your parents were, and more importantly, you can be sure that all of our political leaders do not show a disposition to impulsive and irrational actions."

Mrs. Stevenson interrupted the doctor again. "But how do you know that the test wasn't a wrong this time, maybe someone made a mistake... Oh, my little boy..." She broke down again.

he doctor calmly continued. "We took several tests. The school system has conducted over a dozen psycological and behavioral examinations of your child, starting at age three. All the results are in the file, and you can look over them. Ten of the tests confirm the behavioral tendencies that you just saw. Johnny tends to show undisciplined, irrational, and impulsive behavior, especially when he thinks he isn't being supervised. You know about the studies; these children usually end up hurting people, especially their parents.

Johnny can still be a productive member of society. He can still work and hold an honest job, as long as he is watched closely and isn't given power. But dozens of studies show that children do not have the capacity to properly vote or make ethical decisions."

The doctor stopped talking for a moment, and then sighed. "I have been forced to break this news to hundreds of parents, and it is never easy. I can tell you how to contact support groups. But you must understand that this science is valid, and that we act for the common good."

And Mrs. Stevenson cried as she signed the form that gave permission to send Johnny to the special school.