The Pygmalion Effect: How Your Beliefs Can Shape Someone’s Destiny
Can Just Believing in Someone Change Their Life? Have you ever told someone, “You’re really smart,” and later noticed their performance improve? Was it just luck — or something deeper? This is the Pygmalion Effect — a psychological phenomenon where what you expect from others can powerfully influence how they perform . Whether you’re a teacher, manager, or friend, your belief in someone might be the fuel they never knew they needed. Let’s dive into how your mindset could silently rewrite someone else’s story. What Is the Pygmalion Effect? The Pygmalion Effect describes how high expectations from others lead to improved performance . The concept comes from a 1968 study by psychologists Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson , who told teachers that some randomly chosen students were “ intellectual bloomers .” Without knowing they were randomly selected, teachers subconsciously gave those students more attention and encouragement. Within eight months, th...
