The expectations that teachers have of students influence their performance. The 'Pygmalion effect' is the title – and nowadays a commonly used term – of a study from 1968. In this study, conducted by Robert Rosenthal and Leonore Jacobson, it was investigated to what extent teachers' expectations influence students' performance. This phenomenon originated from a Greek myth in which a sculptor fell in love with a self-made statue of the most perfect woman. He wished that the statue would come to life, and it did. “If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences” (Thomas Theorem, 1928). Research by Rosenthal and Jacobson revealed that the expectations teachers have of students influence the results of those students. This is because teachers convey these expectations to students through both verbal and non-verbal communication. When a student (unconsciously) shares this expectation, he or she will start to behave accordingly. The phenomenon is a form of the self-fulfilling prophecy. According to meta-analyses by Professor John Hattie (2017), this is the most influential factor of all factors that affect students' academic performance. However, various recent studies indicate that the effects are small and have no lasting impact. Additionally, it is unclear to what extent it affects intelligence. Finally, the question remains whether students actually perform differently due to the behavior of teachers, or because teachers can simply accurately assess how students perform.
The expectations that teachers have of students influence their performance. The 'Pygmalion effect' is the title – and nowadays a commonly used term – of a study from 1968. In this study, conducted by Robert Rosenthal and Leonore Jacobson, it was investigated to what extent teachers' expectations influence students' performance. This phenomenon originated from a Greek myth in which a sculptor fell in love with a self-made statue of the most perfect woman. He wished that the statue would come to life, and it did. “If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences” (Thomas Theorem, 1928). Research by Rosenthal and Jacobson revealed that the expectations teachers have of students influence the results of those students. This is because teachers convey these expectations to students through both verbal and non-verbal communication. When a student (unconsciously) shares this expectation, he or she will start to behave accordingly. The phenomenon is a form of the self-fulfilling prophecy. According to meta-analyses by Professor John Hattie (2017), this is the most influential factor of all factors that affect students' academic performance. However, various recent studies indicate that the effects are small and have no lasting impact. Additionally, it is unclear to what extent it affects intelligence. Finally, the question remains whether students actually perform differently due to the behavior of teachers, or because teachers can simply accurately assess how students perform.
Jussim, L. & Harber, K. D. (2005). Teacher expectations and self-fulfilling prophecies: Knowns and unknowns, resolved and unresolved controversies. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 9(2), 131-155. doi:10.1207/s15327957pspr0902_3
Good, T. L., Sterzinger, N., & Lavigne, A. (2018). Expectation effects: Pygmalion and the initial 20 years of research. Educational Research and Evaluation, 24, 99-123. doi: 10.1080/13803611.2018.1548817