Pygmalion Effect and academic motivation in university students

Abstract

In the educational field, teachers' expectations of their students play an important role, given the tendency of individuals to carry out to a greater extent what is expected of them; This phenomenon is known as the Pygmalion effect. Associated or not with variables such as academic motivation, this phenomenon could influence the academic performance of students. Given the above, this research seeks to determine the relationship between the Pygmalion effect and academic motivation in university students. For this purpose, a non-experimental, correlational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out, in which 216 architecture students from a private university in Lima, Peru participated. The Pygmalion Effect Test (TEPau) was developed and applied, which establishes a direct relationship between a higher score with a positive Pygmalion effect and a lower score with a negative Pygmalion effect. In addition, the Academic Motivation Scale (EMA) was applied. The results show a direct and significant correlation between the variables, which suggests that a positive Pygmalion effect is related to more motivated students.