The Pygmalion effect describes how high expectations of someone tend to lead to better performance, while lower expectations have the opposite effect.
The Pygmalion effect was originally identified by psychologists Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson in classroom settings. But it is also applied to studies in business, sport, and management.
Pygmalion effect exampleA teacher has high expectations of one particular student, Adil, and low expectations of another, Sean. Adil is given challenging tasks because the teacher believes they can succeed at them. When Adil faces challenges, the teacher is quick to give them support and advice.
Sean, on the other hand, is given more basic tasks, and the teacher doesn’t give them the attention they need when they struggle with these tasks. As a result, Adil makes significant improvement, while Sean’s improvement is much less marked.
The teacher’s high expectations affected the way they worked with each student, which had a knock-on effect on the progress they made.
The Pygmalion effect is also called the Rosenthal effect after one of the researchers in the original study.
Published on
June 27, 2024
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
November 22, 2024
The halo effect describes the psychological phenomenon of allowing an overall initial impression of something, based on a single desirable characteristic, to positively influence future decisions we make about it, even though this characteristic is not relevant to these decisions.
The halo effect can influence choices we make about people, products and brands.
Halo effect exampleMaria is a manager and has to complete performance reviews of Lidia and Henri, two employees in her team who do the same job.
Henri is always very enthusiastic about his work, whereas Lidia has a more reserved character.
Maria gives Henri a better appraisal than Lidia, even though they are both performing at the same level.
The positive “halo” around Henri, formed on the basis of a single, very noticeable positive trait, has unconsciously influenced Maria’s decision making and clouded her judgment.
The halo effect can lead to decision-making errors as it impairs our critical thinking. We need to be aware of it in situations such as job interviews and when making important purchases.
Cognitive bias describes the way we tend to act irrationally because our ability to process information objectively is limited. It isn’t inherently bad, but it can affect how we perceive things.
It can also cloud our judgment about people or situations and how risky a set of circumstances might be.
Cognitive bias exampleOne common example of cognitive bias is the assumption that older employees are less adaptable to new technologies compared to their younger counterparts. This bias can influence managers’ decisions.
As a result, the older employee might be offered fewer opportunities for training, development, or career advancement. This might cause the worker to suffer from age-related workplace discrimination.
No one is immune to cognitive bias, so academics and researchers have to be aware of its possible effect on their research. Otherwise, cognitive bias might undermine their work.
Published on
June 19, 2024
by
Magedah Shabo
Revised on
November 22, 2024
Unconscious biases are instantaneous stereotyped judgments about people that escape our awareness. These biases often conflict with our consciously held values and beliefs.
Unconscious bias exampleA tech company conducts a study revealing that resumes with conventionally white names received 50% more callbacks than those with names associated with other races, despite identical qualifications. This leads to the implementation of a blind recruitment process, which significantly increases diversity in the company’s hires.
Unconscious biases can be especially harmful in contexts where power is imbalanced, including business, academic, medical, and legal contexts.
