The Pygmalion effect, also known as the Rosenthal effect, is the phenomenon in which people’s expectations about a person can influence that person’s performance. This effect is named after the Greek myth of Pygmalion, who was a sculptor who fell in love with a statue he had carved. In the myth, the statue came to life, and the Pygmalion effect refers to the idea that our expectations for someone can have the power to make those expectations a reality.
In the context of psychology, the Pygmalion effect is often studied in the context of teacher expectations and student performance. If a teacher expects a student to perform well, the student may be more likely to actually perform well. This can be because the teacher provides the student with more support and encouragement, or because the student internalizes the teacher’s expectations and tries harder as a result. The Pygmalion effect can also work in the opposite direction, so if a teacher has low expectations for a student, the student may be less likely to perform well.
