This study supported the hypothesis that reality can be positively or negatively influenced by the expectations of others, called the observer-expectancy effect. Rosenthal argued that biased expectancies could affect reality and create self-fulfilling prophecies.

What did Rosenthal study?

Robert Rosenthal (pictured) is most known for his research and studies conducted on experimenter expectancy effects, which is the influence that a researcher can have on the outcome of an experiment (“Rosenthal’s Work”, n.d.). The first notable study that he worked on was with Fode in 1963.

What was the outcome of Pygmalion's experiment?

The result of the experiment showed a distinguish difference between the sample students and the control students. The “bloomers” gained an average of two IQ points in verbal ability, seven points in reasoning and four points in over all IQ.