The beliefs that a person has about themselves, can modify their behavior for the worse or better depending on the circumstances in which they find themselves or the social support they receive about their abilities. For example, a child who is told that he is not capable of achieving something, will not do it, because he will actually grow up thinking that he is not capable of doing it. He does not have a voice of encouragement to make him see that he really is capable.
On the other hand, to a child who tells him that he is capable of achieving something, that if he makes an effort he will be able to achieve it ... You will be able to visualize yourself achieving what you want and you will look for a way to achieve it. You will think you can, and therefore you will succeed. Therefore, the Pygmalion Effect is clear: what we think, is fulfilled ... it is also known as the self-fulfilling prophecy.
'You're shy', 'How bad you are!', 'You seem silly', 'You won't be able to get it', 'Don't even try, because you're not going to get it', 'You won't be anyone in life' , 'No one is going to love you with the way you are so horrible'… They are examples of negative labels and messages that can lead to the negative Pygmalion effect in the people who receive it (or the Galatea effect). On the other hand, if the messages are of the type: 'You can', 'Try again and you will do better', 'If you want, you can do it', 'Dream and aim high to achieve your goals', 'Do it with your heart and it will turn out well'… Are examples of positive messages that will lead to the Pygmalion effect (or Galatea effect) with better results.
Pygmalion and Galatea
In ancient Greece this name of Pygmalion effect was created through a mythological legend of Ovid. This legend said that a Greek sculptor named Pygmalion made a creation of a woman, a statue that he called Galatea. PIgmalion, at the end of his work, could not help but fall in love with Galatea, because of her beauty.
Pygmalion was deeply in love and only thought about what his life would be like if Galatea had been real, if she were not a statue. Finally, thanks to the god Aphrodite, Pygmalion deeply in love kissed Galatea, and it came to life.
When expectations towards one person come from another, whether they are high or low expectations, it is known as the Galatea effect. In this case, another person is the one who has a negative or positive influence on the performance of the person in question.
The power of expectations
In both the Pygmalion effect or the Galatea effect, it is the expectations that the person creates or receives that completely transform the behavior. The power of belief can change the inside of a person, completely.
This power is given in any social sphere ... in education, in parenting, at work or in any other place where a person has to perform a job, whatever it may be.
What is the Pygmalion effect exactly?
Therefore, the Pygmalion effect is the same as the self-fulfilling prophecy and this can change and transform a person completely ... for better, or for worse. It's about having expectations towards oneself or towards person and according to these beliefs, they are reinforced so much that they end up being real.
Depending on the expectations, the ways of acting may change. For example, if you are not able to trust in achieving your goals, you will not give yourself messages of support and you will not achieve them. If a person close to you does not give you messages of support, you will really believe that it is not worth it and you will not get them either. On the other hand, if you really think that you are capable of achieving it, you will change your behavior to achieve it. Or if someone close to you tells you that you are able to achieve it, you will think that it really is like that and you will be able to achieve your goals.
In this sense, the expectations and confidence that you have towards yourself or towards another person, contribute to success or failure. If you expect something good, you will get it. If you expect something bad, you will too. Depending on what you think your actions will be directed towards it.
This can positively or negatively affect a person. On the positive side it can raise self-esteem and achieve great achievements and on the negative side, it will seriously affect self-esteem and fail to achieve goals, no matter how simple. The Pygmalion effect is a belief that one. Once done, it becomes reality.
The good and the bad
Like everything, the Pygmalion effect has two sides in the same coin. On the positive side, we find that a person with positive thoughts can achieve anything that is proposed. People who motivate others with positive messages of support and of mind they will be doing a great job in someone else's life, almost without realizing it. A teacher who, for example, treats all students equally regardless of their academic performance, will find that they all improve significantly.
Instead, the pygmalion effect it can also have a negative and harmful part for people ... when thoughts turn negative and even toxic. The reproachful messages, the destructive criticisms… all this undermines the self-esteem of any person, of any age. Overly critical parents, overly demanding teachers, toxic bosses ... all of it, It can make the person feel that he is not able to get things and can become a failure.
The Pygmalion effect can occur at any time in life. You can be your own Pygmalion effect or someone else's. For this reason, you must take good care of the words you use when you speak to other people and also when you talk to yourself. The power of words is unimaginable and they, used correctly can change a person's life and if it were done on a large scale, it could change the world.
Believe in what you want, and you will create it. Challenge yourself and others in a positive way and the results will be incredible. Don't underestimate the power of your words, but neither do your thoughts. You can give or give yourself the confidence that you need (or that someone else needs) without being fully aware of what you are doing. Courage and courage come from words and also from thoughts.
I love all the positive messages and it is that we never stop learning and if it is to live - better!