Expectations are defined as a beliefs system which is future- centred in nature and acts as a driving tool for progression in our society. Philosophers such as Maarten Maartensz (2005) describe expectations as being personal and based on our life experiences. The conceptual framework of expectations is derived from the self-fulfilling prophecy, i.e. a belief that things will happen in a particular manner in a specific point of time. This brings us to a point where it becomes imperative to interrogate whether our expectations have the power to alter the reality and is there a possibility to change how things might happen or does our expectations act as a driving force to take necessary action?
In a nutshell, the quest is to discover whether things can happen for the better or for, the worse.
An example of the same could be a parent-child relationship. If a parent believes and expresses to their children that they acknowledge their efforts and accept that they are working hard, then the child naturally internalises this belief and tends to become more focused and passionate in the daily activities.
Consequently, as hypothesised by the Pygmalion effect theory, this belief manifests in the behaviour of a child. In other words, the effect of these talks has a significant role to play on the child’s performance. Furthermore, most of these relationships act as a self-fulfilling prophecy. The effect is visible in our day to day environment, from our households to our workplace. The direction in which behaviour manifests, depending on the circumstances, can either be negative or positive.
According to the findings of the National Centre for Education Statistics’ Education Longitudinal Study (2002), it was found that, when teachers had higher expectations from their students, they were more likely to graduate. Likewise, Psychologists found that expectations held by the teachers for students of class sixth and seventh had an impact on student’s achievement six years later also.
According to the Harvard Business Review (2016), the Pygmalion was named after a character of Greek mythology. As stated by mythologists, Pygmalion was a sculptor who fell in love with one of his creations. He prayed to goddess Aphrodite to bring the statue to life, and hence his prayers were fulfilled.
Also known as the Rosenthal Effect, it was examined in a study by Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968). The study found that when teachers were told that some randomly selected students are bright and intelligent, more attention was paid towards them, and therefore, their performance had improved. This happened because when we have positive expectations from someone, we treat them differently. There might be differences in the kind of work designated and the type of feedback provided.
Therefore, when a teacher, a manager or a coach started seeing differences in the students, it leads to the development of leadership practices that will decide superior or inferior performance depending on how the student is perceived.
In the workplace scenario, Rao and Sharma (2016) stated that leaders and managers influence the success of the employees and can play an imperative role in their failure as well, unintentionally. Tierney and Farmer (2004) supported the Pygmalion Effect theory in the realm of creativity and stated that employees for whom high expectations were held about their creative talent, reported being recognised more by their managers.
On the other side of the coin lies the Golem Effect, which posits that low expectations can lead to a low level of performance. Rowe and O’Brien (2002) in their study, cited that this concept stems from the Hasidic mythology, which said that Golem was a product of clay destined to serve its master. Eventually, Golem turned corrupt and had to be destroyed by the creator. In a study by Eden and Davidson (2000), it was found that highly skilled people could also fall prey to the Golem Effect. This can have a detrimental impact on the abilities of the individuals who might have the aptitude to exhibit superior performance.
In the realm of the workplace, Livingston (2016) suggested that managers with lower expectations find it very difficult to mask their genuine opinions. These opinions might be imparted through non-verbal channels and therefore, influences their performance. The Pygmalion Effect leads to one’s sense of reality, becoming changeable as well. This happens because our motivations sometimes get highly influenced by others expectations, which can produce varied outcomes, thereby altering situations to some extent.
To further illustrate, imagine two participants naming N and R interested in taking Karate lessons. The karate coach, however, believes that R will be a more proficient Karate practitioner than N and thus, the coach shows more motivating attitude towards R and takes active interest in training her whereas, On the other hand, he pays the least attention towards N’s training, and hence, R experiences enhances her sense of self-worth and confidence, whereas N’s self-concept gets potentially undermined.
Hence, in such a situation, the result of performance reinforces the belief of the coach, that R was better than N all along.
As every theory has its limits, it is imperative to remember that the Pygmalion effect does not work to fulfil unrealistic scenarios or impossible phenomena. For example, if you are expecting thunderstorms will take place, and when it happens, it is essential to realise that the event is a result of the forces of nature rather than the Pygmalion Effect. It has been 50 years since Rosenthal’s seminal work on the Pygmalion Effect had been published, and it is essential to note that its influence has not been explored enough in the real-life settings.
Dov Eden, a retired professor who has extensively studied this phenomenon, stated that “The Pygmalion Effect is great science that is underapplied.” This phenomenon is not restricted to the academic setting only as it can be seen in parent-child relationships where children perform better when parents have positive expectations from them, in sports when coaches expect well from their players or focus on training specific players.
The Pygmalion Effect can be utilised to bring about positive changes in our lives. As Pygmalion Effect involves interpersonal processes, it is vital to surround yourself with people that motivate you, believe in you and live with the“You can do it attitude.” These positive expectations will help an individual in their journey towards achieving their goal.
If we put our precognitive goggles on, one can ascertain that the Pygmalion Effect, as a concept must be introduced through training programs and workshops to teachers, managers, leaders, parents, etc. all over the world to harness its benefits.
If we turn to the world of research, one fascinating area to apply the fundamentals of work Pygmalion Effect can be of analysing the work ethics of political leaders and the field of sports. There is a lack of study in this realm. A time has come when it has become imperative to harness the capacities of the Pygmalion Effect and therefore, unleash the best versions of individuals.
Leave feedback about this