Psychological

Pygmalion Effect

What it is

Using high expectations to improve someone's performance — or low expectations to diminish it.

How it works

When authority figures communicate high expectations, the target internalizes those expectations and performs better. Conversely, low expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies of poor performance. This can be exploited by strategically assigning expectations to influence outcomes — building up favored individuals while undermining others.

Real-world examples

  • •Teachers told that certain students are "gifted" (actually chosen at random) unconsciously give those students more attention, and the students outperform peers.
  • •Managers who label an employee as "high potential" invest more in their development, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
  • •A coach who benches a player and communicates low expectations, leading to a performance decline that "justifies" the decision.

Ethical guidelines

  • ●Hold high expectations for everyone, not just those you favor.
  • ●Be aware that your expectations shape others' reality, especially for those in your care.
  • ●Do not use low expectations to justify neglect or discrimination.

How to defend against it

  • ►Recognize when someone's low expectations of you are affecting your self-belief.
  • ►Seek feedback from multiple sources, not just one authority figure.
  • ►Define your own standards of performance rather than internalizing others' labels.

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