71. Expecting Great Outcomes - A Look at the Pygmalion (Rosenthal) Effect

In this episode, Dr. Brenda Murrow goes back to one of the foundational studies in psychology that still has resonance today.  The Pygmalion or Rosenthal effect is from research that explored how when teachers viewed their students as having high-potential, the students did better.  It speaks to the uncanny experience that when we expect greatness from others, especially young children in grade school as this study originally investigated, it sometimes becomes reality.

Brenda combines the concepts from this foundational study with the idea of Winnicott’s potential space and incorporates recent real-life and timely examples from guests on the podcast to have an important discussion.  Essentially, she illustrates that we can do the simplest of therapeutic acts, that is looking at someone with expectations for great things, and see results.

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References: 

Pygmalion (Rosenthal) Effect:

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/education/pygmalion-effect-rosenthal-effect

D.W. Winnicott’s idea of “potential space” in Playing and Reality. (1971, Penguin).