People that are perceived as smarter or higher performers, and given higher expectations of performance, are able to achieve higher levels of success
Some people like to take the easy way out. They want to take a course or class to learn new knowledge or a new skill, or want to participate in a fitness program to improve their physical condition, but they want to know whom the easiest instructors are. They want to know how to get the credit and pass, but with the least effort. However, next time you sign up for a class or seminar or any type of program, if you want to get the most out of it, you should check whom your instructors are and find out if they have the reputation for being the toughest, the most comprehensive, the best.
In education and in the work environment, there is a recognized phenomenon called the Pygmalion effect. Essentially, the Pygmalion effect is a self-fulfilling prophecy in which people that are perceived as smarter or higher performers, and given higher expectations of performance, are able to achieve higher levels of success. Being treated as more capable leads to higher levels of motivation and effort, resulting in increased performance. This phenomenon was first described in a study by Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson in 1968. The study hypothesized that results can be influenced by the expectations of others.
The study was conducted at the Spruce Elementary School in South San Francisco. In the study, Rosenthal and Jacobson first administered an IQ test, but did not disclose the students’ scores. They then told the teachers that certain students could be expected to be “intellectual bloomers” that year, and were expected to outperform their classmates. Rosenthal and Jacobson gave the teachers these students’ names. Unbeknownst to the teachers, however, all of the “bloomers” were chosen at random.
Rosenthal and Jacobson conducted the study in all classes and in all six grade levels at the school. At the end of the study, they administered the same IQ test. By comparing the pre- and post-tests from the study, they were able to observe that the experimental and control groups all showed improvement, with the most statistically significant results observed in the first and second grade classes. Rosenthal and Jacobson also observed that the instructors, thinking their students were “intellectual bloomers,” often treated the students differently, even in troublesome situations, and they concluded that the students’ performance was positively influenced by their instructors. A corollary to this is called the Golem effect, in which people who are perceived as incapable and given low expectations achieve less.
Since this study, the same or similar hypotheses have been tested literally hundreds of times in various conditions and with varying levels of success. It has been found that these same principles can be evident in mentoring, coaching, and even in the work environment, where similar work groups’ success rates hinge on the positive or negative perceptions of their leaders on their teams. Therefore, before you take your next course or choose your mentor, coach, teacher, or even your next position, do the research and pick wisely. Your success could be influenced by their perception of your ability, and their associated actions and expectations.
In addition, think about the type of leader or influencer you are among your co-workers, peers, family, and others. If you want to achieve the highest level of performance out of them, then you have to show them that you genuinely believe they can do more and achieve greater, with both your verbal and nonverbal communications. Through the work of Rosenthal and Jacobson and many others, it has been proven that if we work to excel together, then we excel, together.
