Pygmalion Effect
【Educational Psychology Series】
🌹🥀The Power of the Pygmalion Effect in Education 🥀🌹
Hello everyone! Today, I want to share an incredible psychological phenomenon that can have a profound impact in educational settings: The Pygmalion Effect.
What is the Pygmalion Effect?
The Pygmalion Effect, proposed by renowned American psychologists Rosenthal and Jacobson in elementary school teaching, is also known as the “Rosenthal Effect,” “Expectancy Effect,” or “Interpersonal Expectation Effect.” It essentially means, "If someone says you can, you can; if someone says you can't, you can't."
The Story of Pygmalion
Pygmalion was a king of Cyprus in Greek mythology. According to the Roman poet Ovid’s "Metamorphoses," Pygmalion was a sculptor who created an ivory statue of his ideal woman and fell in love with his creation, naming her Galatea. The goddess of love, Aphrodite (Venus to the Romans), sympathized with him and brought the statue to life. From Pygmalion’s story, we derive the “Pygmalion Effect”: expectations and praise can create miracles.
Rosenthal Effect
Psychologists Rosenthal and Jacobson extended the concept of Pygmalion’s story to sociology, transforming the love story of a king into a self-fulfilling prophecy. They applied this idea to teachers' expectations of students, showing how these expectations influence student performance. High expectations lead to better performance, and low expectations lead to worse performance, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
How Does It Work?
According to the Pygmalion Effect, targets internalize their positive labels, and those with positive labels succeed accordingly. In contrast, similar processes operate in the opposite direction for low expectations. The underlying idea is that raising leaders’ expectations of followers' performance leads to better follower performance. This effect is frequently cited in education and social stratification within sociology.
Implications of the Pygmalion Effect
The “Pygmalion Effect” teaches us that praise, trust, and expectations carry a powerful energy that can change behaviors. When a person receives trust and praise from another, they feel socially supported, which enhances their self-worth, confidence, and motivation. They strive to meet the expectations to avoid disappointment and maintain social support continuity. Understanding and applying the Pygmalion Effect can transform classrooms. By fostering an atmosphere of high expectations, we can help students reach their full potential and break through self-imposed limitations.
Practical Tips for Educators:
1. Express Belief in Students: Regularly communicate your belief in your students' abilities.
2. Set Challenging but Achievable Goals: Encourage students to aim high and support them in their journey.
3. Provide Positive Feedback: Reinforce effort and improvement, not just results.
4. Create a Supportive Environment: Cultivate a classroom culture that celebrates growth and learning.
By utilizing the power of the Pygmalion Effect, we can inspire our students to achieve amazing things. Let's set high expectations and witness our students’ growth! 🌱➡️🌹
References:
Chen, V. (2023, November 29). 皮格馬利翁(或“畢馬龍”)效應（The Pygmalion Effect）. Medium. https://medium.com/vincent-chen/皮格馬利翁-或-畢馬龍-效應-the-pygmalion-effect-a4dc395f7cab