The Pygmalion Effect

The Pygmalion effect, sometimes referred to the Rosenthal effect, describes the phenomenon in which the greater the expectation placed upon an individual - generally children, students, and employees - the better they perform.

Making reference to the last blog that I posted, “What is Leadership Exactly,” I have pondered how the Pygmalion Effect could be an extension of what your parents have instilled in your belief and general value system. I learned from a young age, as most other children have, that you soon learn the differences between right and wrong from several sources. Beliefs systems are extensions of parents, friends, family, teachers, government, society, co-workers, etc. Since this blog makes references back to my education, I will be focusing my analysis on teachers and their capacity to encourage higher learning expectations.

Relating back to the Pygmalion Effect how is it possible that teachers, who are responsible for the education and fostering of our adolescent education, could directly improve a student’s mental capacity in only one year? I am a firm believer in the following quote: “You get back what you put in,” meaning if you are willing to make the effort, you will reap the benefits. Likewise, if you not willing to give an honest effort, or your teacher doesn’t foster a learning environment, chances are high that you will not achieve your desired goals. However, could there be more to education than meets the eye?

In an extension of the Pygmalion Effect, it was determined that higher expectations could also be the results of racially-motivated expectations. Jane Elliott, an American teacher and anti-racism activist from Iowa, created the famous “blue-eyed versus brown-eyed” exercise, first done with grade school children in the 1960s. Today, this exercise has become a common place for the basis of diversity training.
The experiment was constructed as follows: Of the two eye-color groups, one group was given preference and regarded as "superior" because of their eye color, with the other group repeatedly being considered inferior in intelligence and learning ability. On the second day of the experiment, the groups were completely reversed, with those oppressed against one day being regarded as superior the next. Elliott gave spelling tests to both groups on each day of the experiment. The students scored very low on the day they were racially "inferior" and very high on the day they were considered racially "superior." (Peters 1971)

Needless to say, there are several variables that can play in the final reasoning for the Pygmalion Effect; however, in my experiences to this point I can say that individuals who uphold high levels of expectations will generally expect individuals to meet those goals. I consider myself fortunate to not only know these types of individuals, but also have parents who expect this from me.


1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_effect . Peters, Williams (1971). A Class Divided, New York: Doubleday and Company.