I. The Myth of Pygmalion and the Birth of a Psychological Phenomenon
In ancient Greek mythology, Pygmalion, the king of Cyprus, was a highly talented sculptor. He painstakingly carved a breathtakingly beautiful statue of a maiden out of ivory. During the creation process, Pygmalion poured all his heart and emotions into it and developed a deep affection for the statue. Every day, he would gaze at the statue lovingly, dress it in gorgeous attire, and pour out his heart to it, as if it were a real person.
Perhaps his persistence and deep emotions touched Aphrodite, the goddess of love. The goddess decided to bestow life upon the statue. Thus, the statue transformed into a living and beautiful maiden. Pygmalion’s dream came true. He married the maiden and they lived a happy and fulfilling life.
This fantastical story later gave rise to the famous Pygmalion effect in psychology. It refers to the phenomenon where the expectations or prophecies formed by people based on their perception of a certain situation will prompt the situation to develop in a way that conforms to these expectations or prophecies. Simply put, your expectations of others often become the prophecy of their future development. This effect is like a magical key that can unlock the door to people’s infinite potential, exerting a profound influence on our lives, work, and interpersonal relationships. So, why does the Pygmalion effect have such a powerful force? And how does it work in our lives?
II. Unveiling the Pygmalion Effect
(1) Definition and Origin of the Effect
The Pygmalion effect, also known as the Rosenthal effect, was put forward by the famous American psychologists Rosenthal and Jacobson. It means that the expectations or prophecies formed by people based on their perception of a certain situation will cause the situation to develop in a way that meets these expectations or prophecies. In simple terms, when we have positive expectations of others, these expectations will be conveyed to the other party through various means. After the other party senses this positive anticipation, they will strive to develop in the direction we expect, ultimately fulfilling our expectations.
(2) Detailed Explanation of the Classic Experiments
In 1968, Professor Rosenthal and his team visited an elementary school. They selected 3 classes from each grade from the first to the sixth grade, and conducted a so – called “future development trend test” on the students in these 18 classes. After that, Rosenthal handed a list of “students with the most development potential” to the principal and relevant teachers in an approving tone, and told them to keep it confidential to avoid affecting the accuracy of the experiment. In fact, the students on this list were randomly selected, but the teachers were unaware of this.
Eight months later, a miracle occurred. All the students on the list not only made significant progress in academic performance and intellectual performance but also showed great changes in aspects such as interests, conduct, and teacher – student relationships. Without knowing the truth, the teachers gave more attention, encouragement, and support to the students on the list. Their expectations were transmitted to the students through eyes, words, and actions. After the students felt this trust and expectation, their self – confidence increased greatly, and they studied even harder, thus achieving remarkable progress in all aspects.
In addition to the experiments on humans, Rosenthal further confirmed the Pygmalion effect through animal experiments. He randomly divided a group of baby mice into two groups. One group was given to an experimenter, with the instruction that this group of mice was very smart and had great potential. The other group was given to another experimenter, with the information that this group of mice was of ordinary aptitude. In fact, there was no essential difference between the two groups of mice.
During the subsequent training, the experimenter who received the “smart mice” information was enthusiastic about training the mice, giving them more encouragement and patience. The experimenter who received the “ordinary mice” information was relatively perfunctory in training the mice. After a period of time, a maze – running test was conducted on the two groups of mice. The results showed that the group of mice considered “smart” completed the task faster than the “ordinary” group, showing themselves to be more intelligent and resourceful. This indicates that the experimenters’ expectations of the mice affected the way they treated the mice, which in turn influenced the mice’s behavior.
III. Why the Pygmalion Effect Can Influence Others
(1) Psychological Aspect
Enhancing Self – Worth: When we express positive expectations to others, the other party will feel that they are valuable, recognized, and valued. This positive feedback greatly enhances their sense of self – worth deep in their hearts. For example, in a team, if a leader often says to a member, “I believe you have unique insights, and you will definitely come up with innovative ideas for this project.” The member, upon hearing this, will feel that their ability has been recognized by the leader, and thus consider themselves to be of great value in the team. This perception will prompt them to be more actively engaged in work, striving to give full play to their strengths.
The Power of Positive Psychological Suggestion: Positive expectations will unconsciously become a kind of psychological suggestion that penetrates the other party’s subconscious. Psychological research shows that the subconscious has a huge impact on people’s behavior. When an individual constantly receives suggestions of positive expectations, they will believe in their subconscious that they can achieve their goals, and thus unconsciously strive in this direction in their behavior. For instance, if parents often tell their child, “You are very smart and have a strong learning ability. As long as you work hard, you will definitely get good grades.” Under the long – term psychological suggestion, the child will be more confident in learning, and will be more willing to try to solve difficult problems instead of giving up easily.
Boosting Self – Confidence and Motivation: The expectations of others are like a powerful source of motivation injected into an individual. When people know that they are highly expected, in order not to let down this expectation, they will actively boost their self – confidence and summon up the courage to face various challenges. This self – confidence and motivation will support them to persevere in the face of difficulties and keep striving to improve themselves. For example, a coach says to an athlete, “You have the potential to break the record. As long as you train according to the plan, you can definitely do it.” Inspired by the coach’s expectation, the athlete will be full of confidence in themselves, train more assiduously, and be highly motivated to move towards the goal of breaking the record.
(2) Behavioral Aspect
Behavior Adjustment and Shaping: After receiving the expectations of others, people will actively adjust their behavior according to these expectations. Because they hope that their behavior can meet the expectations of others and thus gain more recognition and affirmation. For example, in school, if a teacher says to a student, “You are a disciplined and studious child. The teacher believes that you will definitely listen carefully and actively answer questions in class.” In order to meet the teacher’s expectations, the student will try to restrain their behavior in class, concentrate on listening, and actively raise their hand to answer questions. If this behavior adjustment persists, it will gradually form good habits, promoting the growth and development of the student.
The Influence of Attention and Guidance: When we have expectations of others, we often give them more attention and guidance. Take teachers as an example. For students who are considered to have potential, teachers will spend more time and energy paying attention to their learning situation and providing them with targeted guidance and help. This extra attention and guidance will make the students feel the teacher’s care and attention, and thus study harder. At the same time, the teacher’s guidance can also help students better master knowledge and skills, improve learning effects, and further develop in the direction expected by the teacher.
The Formation of a Positive Feedback Loop: The Pygmalion effect forms a positive feedback loop. When we express expectations to others and the other party, through their efforts, achieves part of the expectations, we will give them positive feedback and encouragement. This feedback will further enhance their self – confidence and motivation, prompting them to strive harder to achieve higher expectations. For example, if a leader gives affirmation and praise to an employee’s work results, the employee will be motivated to work even harder in subsequent work and achieve better results. The leader will then give more attention and support, forming a virtuous cycle that continuously promotes the progress of the employee.
IV. The Manifestation of the Pygmalion Effect in Life
(1) In the Field of Education
In the field of education, the Pygmalion effect is vividly demonstrated. The expectations of teachers for students, like a bright lamp, illuminate the path for students to move forward, exerting a profound influence on students’ academic performance and character development.
There was once a class teacher named Ms. Li. In her class, there was a student named Xiaoming. When Xiaoming first entered school, he was rather introverted, his academic performance was not very good, and he always sat quietly in the corner of the class, rarely participating in class interactions. Instead of losing confidence in Xiaoming, Ms. Li discovered his shining points in many aspects. For example, Xiaoming showed unique talent in painting. Moreover, in group activities, although he didn’t talk much, he was serious and responsible, always able to complete the tasks assigned to him with high quality.
Ms. Li began to consciously create opportunities in class for Xiaoming to show his paintings and highly praised and commended his works, saying, “Xiaoming’s paintings are not only skillfully drawn but also full of imagination. Each painting seems to tell a wonderful story. Everyone should learn from his unique perception and creativity of art.” In daily communication, Ms. Li often encouraged Xiaoming, “I’ve noticed that you are a very patient and responsible child. As long as you maintain this attitude in your studies, you will surely make great progress. The teacher believes you have this ability!”
Gradually, Xiaoming felt the teacher’s trust and expectation, and his sense of self – worth was greatly enhanced. He became more confident, actively participated in class discussions, and answered questions actively. His academic performance also improved significantly. Not only that, but his personality also became more cheerful, and his relationship with his classmates became more harmonious. He became a positive member of the class.
In addition to teachers’ expectations, parents’ expectations also play a crucial role in a child’s growth. Parents are the first teachers in a child’s life. Their words and deeds and their expectations of the child plant the seeds of dreams in the child’s heart.
For example, there was a girl named Xiaoyan who had a strong interest in music. However, during the process of learning the piano, she encountered some difficulties and gradually had the idea of giving up. After Xiaoyan’s parents noticed her emotional changes, they didn’t blame her. Instead, they gave her full encouragement and support. They said to Xiaoyan, “Honey, we know that learning the piano is not easy, but we have seen your love and talent for music. Every time you play, you can make us feel the charm of music. We believe you have enough perseverance to overcome these difficulties and become an excellent pianist.”
Encouraged by her parents, Xiaoyan rekindled her enthusiasm for the piano. She practiced every day. When encountering difficulties, instead of giving up easily, she took the initiative to ask the teacher for advice. As time passed, Xiaoyan’s piano – playing level had a qualitative leap, and she won many awards in various music competitions. More importantly, through this experience, Xiaoyan learned perseverance and hard work, and this quality also had a positive impact on her study and life.
(2) In the Workplace Environment
In the workplace, the expectations of leaders are like a key that can unlock the hidden potential of employees, having a profound impact on their work performance.
There was an Internet company that newly recruited a group of employees. Among them, a young man named Zhang worked in the company’s product operation department. At first, Zhang was not very familiar with the work content and was a bit timid in some projects, not daring to put forward his ideas boldly. The department manager, Mr. Wang, noticed Zhang’s situation. He thought that although Zhang lacked experience, he had a quick mind and great development potential.
So, during a project discussion meeting, Mr. Wang actively asked for Zhang’s opinion and highly praised an innovative idea put forward by Zhang, saying, “Zhang, your idea is very novel. I think it’s quite feasible. I believe you have the ability to further improve this idea and play an important role in the project. You will be in charge of part of this project. I’m looking forward to the surprise you’ll bring us.” Zhang was filled with motivation when he heard the leader’s trust and expectation.
In the following work, Zhang dedicated himself to the project. He constantly consulted materials, actively communicated and collaborated with team members, and strived to overcome one difficulty after another. Eventually, the project achieved great success, bringing significant performance improvement to the company. Zhang was commended by the company, and his work ability and self – confidence were greatly enhanced. Since then, Zhang has been more active and proactive in his work, constantly challenging himself, and has become a key business person in the company.
Employees’ self – expectations are also of great importance. When employees have clear goals and positive expectations for themselves, they will be more motivated to work hard and realize their value. For example, an employee named Li has always been eager to achieve higher achievements in his professional field. He set a goal for himself to obtain an important industry certification within one year. To achieve this goal, Li set aside time every day to study professional knowledge, participated in training courses, and actively consulted the company’s seniors. During this process, although he encountered many difficulties, he always believed that he could achieve his goal. Eventually, Li successfully obtained the certification. His professional ability was recognized by the company, and he also won more opportunities for his career development.
(3) In Interpersonal Relationships
In intimate relationships, the expectations between partners are like warm sunshine, nourishing the flower of love. For example, in a couple, the husband has always hoped that his wife can show her talents more confidently. Whenever the wife achieves a small success at work, the husband will give timely affirmation and encouragement, “Honey, you did an amazing job! I knew you had this ability. Your talents shouldn’t be buried. Believe in yourself and bravely pursue your dreams.” Encouraged by her husband, the wife gradually became more confident and made greater progress at work. At the same time, the wife also gives support and expectation to her husband’s career, believing that he has the ability to succeed in the workplace. This mutual expectation and support make their relationship deeper and more harmonious.
In friendships, expectations can also be a bridge to enhance friendship. There were two good friends, Wang and Zhao. Wang loved writing but always lacked confidence in his works and was afraid to submit them to the outside world. Zhao, who knew Wang’s talent well, often said to Wang, “Your writing is very touching. Every article can touch people’s hearts. I believe that as long as you bravely submit your works, you will surely be recognized. How do you know you can’t do it if you don’t try?” Encouraged by Zhao, Wang finally summoned up the courage to submit his works to some literary magazines. Although he was rejected several times at first, Wang didn’t lose heart. Remembering Zhao’s expectation of him, he worked even harder to improve his writing level. Eventually, one of Wang’s articles was published in a well – known magazine. He was very grateful to Zhao for his encouragement and trust. And Zhao was sincerely happy for Wang’s success. Their friendship became stronger in this process.
V. How to Apply the Pygmalion Effect
(1) Towards Others
Give Positive Expectations and Praise: Sincerity is the cornerstone of praise. Only sincere praise can make the other party truly feel your sincerity. When praising others, make eye contact with them, be focused, and let the other party feel your earnestness. For example, when you praise a colleague’s performance in a project, don’t just simply say “You did a good job”, but specifically point out what he did well, such as “In this project planning, your analysis of the market trend was very accurate, and the several innovative points you proposed also brought new vitality to the project. You’re really amazing.” At the same time, pay attention to the occasion and timing of praise. Praising others in front of a third party often has a better effect. For example, in a team meeting, publicly commending a member’s excellent performance not only makes the commended person feel proud but also inspires other members to learn from him.
Provide Support and Encouragement: When others face difficulties and challenges, we should give them practical support and encouragement. For example, if a friend is preparing for an important exam but has been in a poor review state recently and is a bit anxious, you can take the initiative to help him organize review materials, share some learning methods and experiences, and constantly encourage him, “I know you’re under a lot of pressure recently, but I believe in your strength. You’ve always been very hard – working. As long as you review according to the plan, you will surely get good grades. You can come to me anytime if you encounter any problems.” In this way, let the other party feel your support and thus enhance their courage and confidence to overcome difficulties. In a team, when a member undertakes a challenging task, the leader can give them more resources and authority, provide them with necessary training and guidance, and help them complete the task better.
(2) Towards Yourself
Set Positive Self – Expectations: Goals are the lighthouses guiding our progress, and reasonable goal – setting is crucial. We can follow the SMART principle, that is, goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time – bound. For example, if you want to improve your writing ability, don’t set a vague goal like “I want to improve my writing level”, but you can set “In the next three months, write at least one article of more than 1500 words per week and submit it to at least two well – known platforms, striving to get at least five articles accepted.” Such a goal is clear, measurable, achievable, closely related to improving writing ability, and has a time limit. During the goal – setting process, believe in your ability and avoid self – limiting. Don’t lower your expectations of yourself because of past failures or others’ doubts. For example, if you once tried to learn a new language but gave up halfway, don’t think that you have no talent for learning languages. Instead, believe that with a reasonable plan and efforts this time, you will surely make progress.
Maintain a Positive Mindset: A positive mindset is the key to realizing self – expectations. When facing difficulties and setbacks, don’t get stuck in negative emotions, but learn to face them positively. You can cultivate some positive thinking habits to adjust your mindset. For example, every morning when you get up, give yourself a smile in the mirror and tell yourself, “Today is a wonderful day. I believe I can do everything well.” When encountering problems, don’t immediately complain or evade, but think, “What challenges does this problem bring me? What can I learn from it? What methods do I have to solve it?” At the same time, learn from failures and regard them as opportunities for growth. For example, if you perform poorly in a work report, don’t be too frustrated. Instead, carefully analyze the reasons, summarize the lessons, and make full preparations for the next report. In addition, you can also constantly inspire yourself and maintain a positive mindset by reading inspiring books, participating in positive social activities, etc.
VI. Conclusion
The Pygmalion effect reveals the powerful force of expectations. Like a lighthouse, in many fields such as education, the workplace, and interpersonal relationships, it guides our way and illuminates the path for others to move forward. Positive expectations can stimulate the potential deep within people, enabling us to constantly break through ourselves on the path of growth and achieve seemingly unattainable goals.
In life, let’s learn to apply the Pygmalion effect and treat everyone around us with positive expectations. Give others sincere praise and encouragement, provide them with solid support, and let them feel the warmth and strength in our expectations. At the same time, don’t forget to have positive expectations for ourselves, believe in our infinite possibilities, and pursue our dreams with firm beliefs and a positive mindset.
May we all become disseminators of the Pygmalion effect, create a better world with positive expectations, and let everyone bloom their own brilliance under the nourishment of expectations.
