Win at Life
Definition:
The Pygmalion Effect is a psychological phenomenon where higher expectations lead to improved performance.
In short: what you believe about someone can influence
- how they behave,
- how they perform, and even
- what they come to believe about themselves.
What are the origins?
It all began with a study in the 1960s by psychologist Robert Rosenthal and elementary school principal Lenore Jacobson, which might struggle to get past an ethics board these days.
They told teachers that certain children (chosen totally at random) were expected to ‘bloom’ (for some bogus, made-up reason).
They did some baseline tests with the children. After just eight months, when they retested the children, they saw some wild academic progress.
In fact, the average IQ gain for the so-called ‘bloomers’ was around 12 points higher than the others.
In younger children, it was even more extreme, sometimes reaching over 20 points!
I cannot stress how insane that number is, in educational terms.
It’s the kind of leap that would usually take years, if it were to happen at all.
The only thing that changed was what the teachers thought was true.
The chosen children hadn’t suddenly got cleverer; it was the hundreds of subtle positive adjustments that their teachers had unknowingly made for them.
The study raised eyebrows – and not just because of the results.
The so-called ‘bloomers’ were picked totally at random. This means that the other children were, by default, expected to do less well, and this is exactly what happened. Who knew?
Fine for the ones picked, but not so much for the others. This is what makes it powerful, and was why it was definitely a bit questionable.
(Can you imagine the pushy parents finding out?
If they’d had WhatsApp back then, it would have gone viral.)
The children with lower expectations weren’t necessarily badly treated, but they weren’t given the same ‘enriched learning’ or encouragement.
The teachers reported feeling duped. The parents were less than impressed.
It was a whole thing.
Over time, they extrapolated that the already impressive performance gap would widen, resulting in different learning outcomes, exam results, opportunities, and even careers.
And all this was happening without teachers or parents realising what was going on.
In that now-famous experiment, teachers’ beliefs measurably altered student outcomes. Further studies have never been able to recreate such dramatic effects, but almost all confirm the effect as very real.
Why it’s relevant
This isn’t just about children.
Studies like this show that belief quietly shows in your tone, body language, the kind of tasks you hand out, and the way you give feedback – even when you think you’re being 100% fair.
When this puts people at a disadvantage, it’s known as the Golem Effect,
It reminds us how easily people can be limited, not by ability, but by low expectations that sneak in under the radar.
It’s the darker twin of the same principle.
Pub Quiz Trivia Moment
The name ‘Pygmalion’ comes from a Greek myth.
Pygmalion sculpted an ivory statue of his ideal companion – Galatea – and fell in love with it/her. So he prayed to Aphrodite
(or possibly Venus, if you’re in the pub with an ancient Roman),
and because he truly believed she could live, the goddess granted his wish. Galatea came to life.
The story shows how belief and attention can bring potential into reality.
The Golem, is a creature from Jewish folklore.
(Still with me? You’re doing so well),
It was brought to life from clay, often associated with unintended consequences or mindless obedience.
(FYI, it’s pronounced GO-lum. Like GO,
lump without the P.)
Some of our more gutter-dwelling tabloids might call those with that kind of blind acceptance ‘sheeple’.
Why it’s useful:
If you’re a coach, teacher, parent or boss, the expectations you hold aren’t just internal thoughts. They leak out in those micro-cues: how long you pause after someone speaks, how much challenge you give them, how you respond to their ideas. Over time, those cues shape how people see themselves and what they strive for. It’s not magic, and it’s not manipulation. It’s clarity, consistently modelled.
When you expect your team to rise to the challenge and show that with warmth, belief and clear standards, they’re more likely to.
Expecting your teenager to act like Kevin, Perry or Vicky Pollard? You might just create the perfect conditions for that.
And while we are on the subject, if you talk to yourself like someone destined to fail, don’t be surprised if you find yourself shrinking from anything that looks like a risk or opportunity.
Expect the best and see what happens.
Real-life examples
- A manager who believes in a junior colleague’s potential, gives them what HR-types might call “stretch opportunities”. They rise to the challenges, feeling supported and appreciated. Their professional development goes through the roof (or glass ceiling) and their career takes flight.
- A mum assumes her son isn’t ‘academic’ and doesn’t want to stress him out by insisting he completes his tricky homework. So he gets behind with his work, and confirms his mums (and his own) opinion. As an adult he tells people ‘I’m just not a maths person’.
- A personal trainer, known for being highly motivating, celebrates consistency and encourages effort. Their clients truly believe they are capable of change – backed by their PT. They feel so great about their training, they keep their programme up and get much fitter and stronger than they otherwise would.
So your beliefs shape your behaviour, which in turn shapes your beliefs – reinforcing things as they go.
This isn’t about magically manifesting talent. It’s about setting a higher bar – and letting your behaviour reflect that belief
Choose your circle – virtuous or vicious.
Either way, you’ll be right.
Try this today:
Pick someone you work with, mentor, or care about.
Assume, just for a day, that they’re on the brink of an incredible breakthrough.
Hold that belief in your mind as you speak to them. Encourage them, praise them and ask curious questions. See how your expectation can shift what happens next.
Take something you believe about your abilities, personality or limits, and imagine the total opposite is true (humour me). You don’t have to whoop or jump up and down, just speak and act as if it were the case. Just for the day. This isn’t lying to yourself – it’s science. You’re the experiment.
Some things to think about
- Who have you quietly written off?
- What beliefs about yourself are you holding that deserve an upgrade?
- Where might someone else’s low expectations be rubbing off on you?
A Buddh-ish Take
“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.” – The Dhammapada
This effect isn’t just science. It’s an ancient idea echoed across wisdom traditions.
Expectation isn’t fate. It’s a tool. One you can use carefully, kindly, and with quiet power to create something incredible – or to dig a ‘hole of failure’ to sit in.
The Matthew Effect
Why do small early advantages (or disadvantages) snowball into major differences later on?
Ta-da – another bonus effect, in an Effect-packed section.
Behold: The Matthew Effect in action.
A teacher expects more from one child; they get more praise, attention, and challenge, which leads to better performance, a sense of being smarter, and being offered more opportunities, which in turn leads to increased belief, and so on.
Over time, these small differences don’t just affect confidence; they impact exam results, career options, income, relationships, and overall health.
All from an invisible turbo-boost at the start line.
Talent gets you noticed. But belief, especially early belief – builds the staircase.
