2024-09-02 21:52:39
Its scientific name is the Rosenthal effect. You can apply it by helping yourself with Patel’s method
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When you think of something as a self-fulfilling prophecy, you stop reading. Your free time is short, you can’t waste it on ali-bali.
You’re basically right, but you’re wrong about the self-fulfilling prophecy. It only sounds mystical, it is not clairvoyance. It has a scientific name – the Rosenthal effect, and it has been proven to help you succeed in your career and in your personal life.
The Professor’s Fraud
In 1968, psychologist Prof. Robert Rosenthal conducted an experiment with school children in San Francisco to test their intellectual level. He then randomly selects a few students who are not brilliant at all and tells the teachers that they have exceptional abilities.
Educators are amazed – they have not noticed anything like this. The psychologist assures them that his methodology is accurate and that the children may not have shown their potential yet, but they will definitely reveal it in the future.
After a year, Prof. Rosenthal went to the school and again measured the IQ of all the children included in his previous study. Then came a surprise – the students he identified as exceptionally gifted now showed higher intelligence.
The children were chosen at random, but they themselves, their parents and teachers believed that they were very intelligent. Everyone has gone to great lengths to justify this. I.e. expectations have created a new realitycommented the professor.
To test the Rosenthal effect, later other scientists did experiments in different variants. And they get similar results.
For example, psychologists Rebecca Curtis and Kim Miller paired students who did not know each other. Some are told that the person they are sitting next to likes them.
The strangers must then communicate. Those who thought they were likable to their partners actually managed to like them much more than those who were not manipulated by the psychologists. Allegedly liked communicate with the partner more friendly because they are sure that they are likeable.
Psychologists conclude that this is a confirmation of the Rosenthal effect: the attitude that a person has determines the nature of his actions, and this leads to its realization.
In addition to the Rosenthal effect, this psychological phenomenon is more impressively called a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because there are many effects that bear the names of their discoverers and they are not remembered.
In his book, the professor himself calls it the “Pygmalion effect” to get the audience to pay attention to him. Pygmalion is a character from Bernard Shaw’s play of the same name and from Greek mythology. He is that sculptor in love with the statue of a woman he carved himself out of ivory.
You can try to sculpt yourself with this effect.
Your trick
Scientists claim that the Rosenthal effect works in all people. What happens is what you believe will happen if you create a new reality in the meantime.
By focusing on the possibility of things going well, you energize yourself, plan, act, and increase the likelihood that the good scenario will come true. The more you focus on the danger of things going badly, the more you lose faith and energy, increasing the likelihood that that very bad scenario will come true.
Of course, a self-fulfilling prophecy doesn’t just come true. You have to help him with the formula for success:
1. Decide where to start (point A).
2. Determine where you want to go (point B).
3. Make a plan to get from point A to point B.
4. Act diligently on the plan.
5. Analyze whether you are approaching B.
6. If the plan works, double the effort from step 4.
7. If your plan doesn’t work, go back to step 3
It sounds simple, but it’s not, because your character can trip you up, pushing you toward disbelief that you’ll succeed and discouraging you.
With the napkin method against skepticism
Remind yourself to think optimistically with the so-called napkin method.
It’s called that because Vikram Patel, a professor of cognitive behavioral therapy techniques who first applied it, used a napkin. But you can replace it with a piece of paper. The medium is not important, what is important is that you identify your strengths on it.
Outline your hand on the sheet. Think about and write down five of your greatest strengths – one on each finger. Be honest, there’s no point lying to yourself. Because then you will have to choose which of your strengths to apply when solving a problem.
Well, if 5 fingers are not enough for you, outline your other hand and write more of your advantages on each finger. However, do not overdo it so as not to fall into hesitation.
A number of studies have found that identifying and applying character strengths improves mental health, increases life satisfaction and the chances of success.
The method works very simply. Everyone has their strengths. When he writes them down like this, they are literally visible in the palm of his hand. As soon as he needs to use them, he looks at the sheet or visualizes them in his head and chooses the most appropriate one for the situation.
When you are worried, take out the paper and read what is written on each of the fingers. You will feel much more confident in yourself. You don’t even have to do it literally – you can memorize the picture and call it up in your mind in a difficult moment.
—— And more weapons ——
You can get excited about something else proven by science.
There is an experiment by Bertram Forer. He gathers a group of volunteers and gives each of them a sheet on which his individual characteristics are supposedly written.
In fact, the text is the same: “You have a great need for other people to love and admire you. You are quite self-critical. You have many hidden possibilities that you have not yet used for your own good. Although you have some personal weaknesses, you can to overcome them. Disciplined and confident in appearance, you tend to feel insecure from time to time. You prefer variety. You are proud to think independently .You don’t take other people’s claims into account.You are not very wise.Sometimes you are introverted, cautious and unrealistic.One of the main ones your life goals is stability.”
After reading what was written, each participant stated that it was a fairly accurate analysis of their personality.
Forer’s experiment was repeated many more times and always showed similar results. Few doubt that what is written is not exactly for them.
Psychologists explain why the vast majority believe. First, because the text is given by scholars, i.e. people in authority. The second factor is the belief in the individual approach – everyone thinks they are getting a feature made especially for them. The third is that positive features predominate in the text.
Try applying this to yourself along with the napkin method.
Who are you? You are an authority – so who, if not you, knows yourself best?! What, if not an individual characteristic are you doing?! And why is it not positive?!
By applying these psychological factors as well, you will achieve the Rosenthal effect. Remember the professor’s conclusion: Your expectations create your reality.
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There is a genius hidden in everyone, but in some it lies dormant. How to awaken yours to career success