Pygmalion Effect
A psychological phenomenon in which higher expectations lead to improved performance, named after the mythological sculptor whose statue came to life because he believed in her so completely
The Meaning of Pygmalion Effect
The Pygmalion effect was identified by psychologists Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson in their 1968 study, which showed that students performed better when their teachers were told (falsely) that certain pupils were expected to excel. The name derives from the myth of Pygmalion, a sculptor of Cyprus who carved a statue of a woman so beautiful that he fell in love with his own creation. He dressed the statue, spoke to it, and brought it gifts as though it were alive. On the feast day of Aphrodite, Pygmalion prayed to the goddess for a bride as lovely as his statue. Aphrodite, moved by his devotion, brought the ivory figure to life. Pygmalion named her Galatea, and they married and had a daughter. The psychological parallel is precise: just as Pygmalion's belief animated cold stone, a teacher's belief in a student's potential can animate dormant ability. The concept has been applied extensively in management, education, military training, and sports coaching. George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion, which became the musical My Fair Lady, explored the social dimensions of the same theme.
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Fun Fact
A 1968 experiment proved that when teachers were told certain students were gifted, those students actually improved more — even though they were chosen at random
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
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💭 conceptLanguage and education
An English word for an institution of learning, derived from the Akademeia, the grove outside Athens where Plato established his school of philosophy in 387 BCE
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An English word meaning a wise and trusted guide or teacher, derived from Mentor, the friend of Odysseus who was entrusted with the education of his son Telemachus
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💭 concepteducation, culture
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💭 conceptPhilosophy, myth, forms
Athenian philosopher who both critiqued traditional myths and created powerful new ones in his dialogues