THE PYGMALION EFFECT AND EDUCATION 1

The Pygmalion Effect and Education

Appalachian State University

1 December 2014

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The Pygmalion, or Rosenthal, effect is the psychological phenomenon in which a person’s expectations can affect the outcome of a situation. The most common example being

Rosenthal’s study of success rates in elementary schools; which showed that inadvertent actions by teachers can affect the academic performance of their students. Which raises the question, how much control does a student have over their own educational success? This happening of self­fulfilling prophecy can also be seen in everyday life; affecting success in the workplace and home. Which environmental, social, and neurological coincidences must coincide to create this phenomena of the mind and how much can it affect one’s life?

In the original 1911 experiment, psychologists Rosenthal and Jacobson studied elementary students’ IQ levels and how their teachers may have been unknowingly affecting their intelligence and performance levels. The teachers were instructed to proctor an IQ test to their students, and were then lead to believe that a small percentage of their class were

“spurters,” or possessed more of the skills needed to succeed in school. After some time the students were tested again and the students who had been randomly selected as “spurters” began to show better performance. Showing that when teachers have higher expectations for their students, the students will perform better than students whose teachers have little to no expectations (Aronson, 2002).

In this scenario the teachers were in a relatively controlled environment, and the notion that some of their students were anormal was purposely planted in their minds. However this effect can be unknowingly incited in students by teachers who are not aware of their unequal treatment. Think about the racial connotations the Pygmalion effect must take into consideration; as Dr. Li (2003) says in her article on first generation Chinese students, this can become a THE PYGMALION EFFECT AND EDUCATION 3

multi­layer issue. For instance, education is highly revered in many Asian cultures and immigrant parents often pressure their children to do well in American schools. Li goes on to say that parental expectations is a huge part of why Asian students score so well on tests and academia nationwide. However, she admits this is not a single­faceted phenomenon, many other things must be taken into account such as increased involvement in a child’s study habits and home life (Li, 2003).

This phenomena can work conversely as well. The Golem effect, while not as commonly referenced, is a real psychological problem that teachers may accidentally induce in students of minority backgrounds. Imagine a teacher who may be coerced by internalized racism and unknowingly treat a student from a less represented race differently, causing the Golem effect to affect their academic performance. Even students from families who do not hold education at a high standard are at risk of this effect. Keep in mind this does not necessarily dictate a student’s life—results are often minimal and rarely seen in higher level students (Aronson, 2002).

However, this may impact a student’s confidence, love of learning, and willingness to comply in an educational setting.

In his own article critiquing many different variations of the Pygmalion effect, Bell

(2010) goes as far as to expand the hypothesis to expectation influences outcomes. Saying in his introduction, “What do you expect me to say about expectations? Whatever it is that you expect, it influences how you will hear me today” (p. 1). He went on to talk about how people who expect to find work in the outdoor education field are more likely to actually become employed than people who do not expect to be. However, whether this is due to the nature of a successful interview and application or inculturated confidence in the field, he is unsure. Bell concludes by THE PYGMALION EFFECT AND EDUCATION 4

saying that the hardest part is not how expectations influence outcomes, but how these expectations are formed, evaluated, and changed over time (Bell, 2010).

Many factors are likely coming into play here; cultural, racial, and even personal experiences shape desires and anticipated outcomes. Knowing this, how much control does one actually have over their life and its outcomes? Dr. Aronson (2002) would say a lot. He states that young children are more malleable than older ones, as a younger child is still forming their sense of moral obligation. It is a parent and educator’s job to help a child along at a young age, however once grown, the child can decide for many things on their own. Supporting this theory, it should be noted that the Rosenthal experiment had a greater effect on first and second graders.

Once the children were in higher grades the proficiency curve was not as drastic and even nonexistent (Aronson, 2002).

Considering this from a neurological viewpoint, one should consider neural networks. As the brain grows it becomes less plastic, its neural networks becoming more set than not.

Neuroscientist Zull (2002) considers neural networks to be key in understanding how the brain learns. He reiterates the importance of continually using and renewing these networks, as the more a “pathway” is used the stronger it will become. Using this theory, students who live in an environment more conducive to learning will tend to be stronger suited towards the work school requires because their networks have been more reinforced through reiteration (Zull, 2002).

How does this help psychologists and teachers understand how much control a student has over their own learning at a young age? Rosenthal and Jacobson would say that as a child grows this effect is less likely to be a factor, Li and Aronson would say there are many other variables aside from expectations affecting the outcome. As with many psychological effects it is THE PYGMALION EFFECT AND EDUCATION 5

hard to trace the exact origin and and consequences that this one possesses. More heavily “used” neural networks may make learning easier for students while students who are not as neurologically active may find school harder. Expectation alone will not change the outcome, though hard work to achieve expectation often will. Perhaps the brain is capable of more than originally thought, creating space and activity as needed. Regardless, this seems to be a very real effect with very real consequences and, as are most phenomena of the mind, still a large mystery. THE PYGMALION EFFECT AND EDUCATION 6

References

Aronson, J. (2002). Improving Academic Achievement : Impact of Psychological Factors on

Education. Amsterdam: Academic Press.

Bell, B. J. (2010). The role of expectancies in outdoor education research. The Journal of

Experiential Education, 32(3), 309­312. Retrieved from

http://0­search.proquest.com.wncln.wncln.org/docview/275032873?accountid=8337

Li, J. (2003). Affordances and constraints of immigrant chinese parental expectations on

children's school performance. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 49(2), 0.

Retrieved

from http://0­search.proquest.com.wncln.wncln.org/docview/228622230?accountid=8337

Zull, J. E. (2002). What we already know. In The art of changing the brain (pp. 91­110). Sterling,

VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.