Pygmalion in the school

Pygmalion in the school

1. Variables

   • Age
     • "An organism can be shaped, molded or influenced" Scott (1962)
   • Ability
     • "There are only modest correlations between initial intellectual status and changes in intellectual status" Thordike (1966)
   • Minority group status
     • "Disadvantaged almost means minority group"
   • Sex
     • "Teachers are females, so the influence in ladys interest us most"

2. Intellectual growth

   • Expectancy advantage
     • by grades
       • control group gained over weight IQ points, the experimental over twelve
         • the experiments are good for the two groups
     • by Tracks and Sex
       • "Girls showed a slightly greater advantage than boys"
         • The ones in the lower grades gained more IQ, because they are more malleable
     • by Minority-Groups Status
       • "Children of the minority groups were more advantaged"

3. Discussion

   • Six interpretations
     • "Experiment were more effective with younger children because they are easier to change"
     • "Younger children within a given school have less well-established reputations"
     • "Young children are believed by teachers to be more malleable"
     • "Young children are more sensitive, and teachers communicate their expectations by the way she looks, postures and touches"
     • "Teachers' expectations were more effective in the lower grade"
     • "The greater IQ gain in younger children attributable to teacher expectation in a result of sampling of teachers"