# Pygmalion effect

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. The phenomenon whereby the greater the expectation placed upon people is, the better they perform.

## Etymology
Named after Rosenthal and Jacobson's 1968 book Pygmalion in the Classroom, itself named after the mythological sculptor who fell in love with his statue.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pygmalion-effect