Ch. 5 – Fundamentals of Social Cognition
The idea of the Pygmalion effect and self-fulfilling prophecies, as discussed on pages 127-129, is incredibly intriguing. The notion that people’s behaviors and cognitive processes can be affected by the labels bestowed upon them is amazing and speaks volumes for the “power-of-the-mind.” The Pygmalion effect is similar to the Placebo effect in some respects. Studies have shown that ill patients who were given a sugar pill (aka a Placebo) showed signs of improvement as if they had been given authentic medication. The thought alone that they were given something to aid their ailments caused a physical reaction.
In dealing with our interpersonal relationships, I think it’s highly important and beneficial to recognize the power the mind has. If the Pygmalion effect can work in a negative way, it can also work in a positive way. Imagine what would happen if positive/encouraging labels were placed on others; perhaps those individuals would begin to assume the characteristics of the positive label.
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2 comments:
Hey! I think this was a very interesting subject to bring up. The mind is a very powerful tool. The mind can affect every part of our lives, even our health! I believe there are studies that show people who have a more positive outlook on life and are generally happy people tend to have less health problems and can even live longer than those who are negative. Having positive encouragement also affects how you feel. If people were nicer and more encouraging there would probably be a lot more happier people in the world!
Thanks for your comments CaliGirl :-) I've also read that highly-stressed, anti-smokers do more harm to their bodies than stress-free smokers do to theirs. A happy demeanor truly can alter our health.
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