The disconcerting Pygmalion effect

Behavior is influenced not only by the environment in which it is displayed, but also by the expectations placed on the person who executes it. Belief in another’s ability affects their performance on a task. This is known as the “Pygmalion Effect.”

This phenomenon has its roots in Greek mythology and has been the subject of research in different contexts. In this article we will delve into it, we will learn what it is, where it manifests itself, how to use it to our advantage and how to prevent it from having a harmful impact.

Pygmalion Effect: definition and origin

It refers to the fact that one person’s expectations and beliefs influence the performance of another.. Roberto Rosenthal maintains that “what one person expects from another can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Likewise, it should be noted that this term has its special origin in the work of the poet Ovid. Let’s remember, Pygmalion was a sculptor who lived on the island of Crete and who fell in love with a statue that he had created himself.: Galatea.

His feelings for her were so strong that he asked the gods to turn her into a woman of flesh and blood, so that he could love her like a real woman. Aphrodite, of course, granted her wish. Later, Pygmalion married her and as a result of her love, Pafo, her daughter, was born.

Pygmalion and Galatea

Also known as the self-fulfilling prophecy, the essence of the Pygmalion effect is how someone’s high expectations of another person can elevate the latter’s performance. On the contrary, low expectations can negatively affect her performance. When these expectations come from an individual towards himself, the phenomenon is known as the “Galatea Effect.”

So, The key process underlying both the Pygmalion effect and the Galatea effect is the power of expectations and how these influence the behavior and performance, both of others and of ourselves. So if we take these effects into account, our beliefs are more important than we think.

On the other hand, something that Susan H. McLeod explains to us, in a study titled “Pygmalion Effect or Golem Effect”, is that This effect occurs in any social setting. We see it in raising children, in education, in the business environment and in any place where a person or group of people must perform a task.

In what situations does it manifest itself?

This effect can occur in different areas and contexts:

Educational: When a teacher strongly expects his students to excel, it is very possible that they will. On the contrary, when their expectations and confidence are low, student performance declines.Labor: As in the educational context, when the bosses of a company have high expectations of the achievement capabilities of their employees, they tend to perform better. On the other hand, if nothing good is expected of them, it is likely that their productivity and commitment will not be as high.Family: the beliefs that parents have about their children affect their behavior. The projection of negative or limiting expectations can hinder the development and well-being of children at home.Sports: A coach who trusts in his athletes’ abilities and expects maximum performance from them can help them achieve it more safely. Having low performance expectations can prevent athletes from reaching their maximum level.

The Pygmalion effect allows us to observe how beliefs can shape behaviors in different contexts. Thus, It is essential to become aware of it and place more positive and realistic expectations in others..

The power of expectations

One of the most important investigations into this effect was carried out by Rosenthal and Jacobson. In this work carried out in 1968, a group of teachers were informed that their students had been given a test to evaluate their intellectual abilities.

Later, they were told which ones had obtained the best results, also stating that they would be the ones with the best performance. At the end of the course, that’s how it was, those who had been considered better had higher performance. The issue was that the test that evaluated the intellectual capacity of the students was never carried out.

What happened then for some kids randomly identified as the “best” to become that way? The answer is found in that The teachers created high expectations in relation to them and acted in favor of ensuring that these were met.. Thus, the climate, the attitude and the predisposition to teach them was different and more special.

Subsequent studies with students of various ages confirm these results. For example, psychologist Ulrich Boser conducted a program at a Boston high school with the goal of applying the foundations of the Pygmalion effect by first training teachers.

The results could not have been more positive and encouraging. Academic scores improved, especially in reading and mathematics. Today, 40 states in the United States already apply this same program. This is an example to reflect on and in which we can all invest efforts and will..

Seen this way, it seems that the Pygmalion effect is a positive phenomenon from which we can take great advantage. How? Showing young people how much is expected of them. The problem is that this is something more complex than it seems, since these expectations have to be real and grounded and rooted in the mind of the adult who supervises the education of these young people.

That is, the Pygmalion effect is produced by what we communicate through our gestures, attitudes and implicit messages in what we say, so if we want good results we have to believe in our words.

How to use the Pygmalion effect

How can someone’s performance be enhanced using the benefits of the Pygmalion effect? Next, we will break down a series of keys that can be very useful for this purpose.

Become aware: It is essential to examine what you think and expect from others in order to know where to change your focus.Trust the person: once the beliefs have been identified, we must give a lot of value to those that have a positive valence. In parallel, we must genuinely and sincerely believe in the potential and capacity of the other subject.Have high and realistic expectations: For the Pygmalion effect to have influence, what is expected must be achievable and realistic. If the expectation is too high, it can hinder the process by generating greater stress and anxiety in the other person. On the other hand, if they are too low, they will not stimulate motivation.Provide feedback: Recognizing and celebrating progress is crucial to achieving good results. In this process, constructive and positive information must be provided that allows others to improve their performance.Provide support and resources: It is useless to have a positive expectation if the necessary conditions are not provided for the other to deploy and develop their capabilities. The expectation must be materialized and support provided so that the person achieves what is expected of them.Create a safe environment: The environment can have a favorable or unfavorable impact on the achievement of an objective. Therefore, a safe environment must be created, where individuals can take risks, make mistakes and learn. This makes it more likely that they will improve their performance and perform as expected.

To properly use this effect It requires a lot of empathy, honesty and communication. Believing in people’s abilities and supporting them is crucial for the benefits of Pygmalion to become a reality.

Harmful effects of the Pygmalion effect

The fact of seeing ourselves reflected in a child or student and wanting them to be like us can cause the consequences of the Pygmalion effect to become negative. Expectations about the other are manipulated by passing them through a personal filter.

Thus, Many parents make their children become just the opposite. of what they themselves want because their language, their reproaches and their messages constantly focus on it.

When a child hears things like “Sit down and do your homework, you’re not going to get anywhere in life” or “If you keep doing that, you’re going to be miserable.” What he is hearing is that he is going to be miserable and that he is not going to achieve anything.

Those messages that adults understand as motivating, what they do is show the child very unpositive expectations.because he does not understand it that way, since he is not able to evaluate the consequences of something so abstract.

It is much worse when a child hears something like “Do you want to be as useless as your father/mother?” or “Do you want to remain miserable all your life?”. So that, It is not about frequently telling others what we do not want them to do.be it or happen, but quite the opposite, we want to obtain good results and influence you in a positive way.

Avoid the harmful effects of the Pygmalion effect

To avoid the harmful effects of the Pygmalion effect It is essential that parents, teachers or adults who have influence over a child or adolescent do a self-exploration exercise. It is what will allow them to discover what the real expectations they have towards each other are and why. In this sense, reality should be analyzed, even if it is not as we would have liked.

It is vital to change the way you express yourself and formulate statements, questions and comments, as well as the attitude, the way you look and the tone of voice when speaking to say what we want to convey. The other must be recognized for what they are, what their abilities are and what positive qualities they have.

Expectations, behavior and performance

In conclusion, it is worth highlighting that The Pygmalion Effect is the manifestation of the power that expectations have on human life. Through beliefs and behaviors, we influence the direction taken by the individuals under our responsibility.

Consequently, it is important to be aware of the impact that our ideas and hopes can have and use this fact to our advantage. To do this, we must keep in mind at all times that the key lies in truly believing in others, transmitting our vision to them and generating the appropriate conditions so that they can improve their performance.

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