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The poor are getting poorer, self-fulfilling prophecies, how to break the Matthew effect, personal growth, psychological tests, Matthew effect in the workplace, and Matthew effect in the wealth
Why do some people's successes grow bigger and bigger like snowballs?
Have you noticed that there are always people around you: a colleague who received the first bonus was soon promoted; a blogger with 10,000 fans on a short video platform suddenly soared to 1 million.
Others seem to be standing still, and even the harder they work, the more frustrated they become.
Behind this is not just luck, but a powerful psychological and sociological law - the Matthew Effect . It explains why a tiny advantage, like a snowball, will grow bigger and bigger, and eventually form a huge gap.
After reading this article, you will not only thoroughly understand the nature of the Matthew effect, but also learn how to use it to bring your life, career and wealth into a positive cycle.
What is the Matthew effect? Psychological Definition and Classic Cases
The definition of the Matthew effect : This concept originates from a sentence in the Bible Matthew: 'Everything that has should be added to him, so that he will be redundant; what is not, even what he has should be taken away.' Simply put, the stronger the strong, the weaker the weak . This is an accelerated accumulation mechanism for resources and opportunities.
In order to better understand this psychological mechanism , we can see several case analysis of Matthew effect that is close to life:
- Education field: A student with excellent grades will receive more attention from teachers and resources. This not only enhanced his confidence, but also gave him more opportunities to perform, and his final results became better and better.
- Workplace Development: An employee with outstanding performance is easier to get promotions, high salaries and important projects. These resources will in turn enhance his abilities and influence, making him an indispensable talent in the company. This is the typical Matthew effect in the workplace .
- Wealth management: People with a certain amount of capital can obtain compound interest returns through investment, which will accelerate wealth growth; while people without initial capital will find it difficult to cross the class. This is the Matthew effect of wealth .
Psychology and Sociology Behind the Matthew Effect
The Matthew effect is not a fate, but is driven by a series of complex psychological and social mechanisms.
1. Psychological roots: The power of self-fulfilling prophecy and belief
The core of the Matthew effect lies in 'self-fulfilling prophecy.' When you believe that you can succeed, you will be more confident and positive, and the people around you will trust you more and give you more opportunities. On the contrary, if you always feel that you are not good, you will fall into a negative psychological cycle.
- Confirmation bias: Our brains tend to look for evidence to verify their inherent beliefs. Successful people will constantly look for signals of success, while losers will constantly strengthen the view that 'I am the loser'.
- Social comparison: We often compare with others unconsciously. When you see others succeed, if you lack the correct perception, it may amplify your own shortcomings, leading to anxiety and inferiority, which will intensify the negative cycle.
2. Sociological Perspective: The Accumulation of Resources and Opportunities
Sociologist Robert Morton first proposed the Matthew effect to explain the 'winner-take-all' phenomenon in the scientific community.
- Resource concentration: Scarce resources such as knowledge, capital, and connections always tend to flow to a few elites. This gives them more opportunities to create and develop.
- Network Effect: In the Internet age, the Matthew effect is infinitely amplified. The social media algorithm will tilt traffic toward the head content, forming a traffic Matthew effect on short video platforms . The top bloggers have more and more fans, and it is difficult for new entrants to get exposure.
How to break the Matthew effect? Practical way to reverse weakness
Although the Matthew effect is universal, it is not invincible. The following is a life reversal technique tailored for you to help you break out of the negative cycle of the Matthew effect and become a beneficiary.
1. Personal growth reversal technique: start with 'make small success'
Don't try to reach the sky in one step. Real change starts with small actions.
- Set a quantifiable small goal : start by reading 5 pages of books every day, or keeping up for 15 minutes early. Completing these small goals will bring confidence and a sense of accomplishment, injecting positive energy into you and launching a positive cycle.
- Embrace 'compound interest thinking' : the growth of personal ability, like wealth, can produce compound interest. Improve 1% every day and your ability will be 37.8 times the initial one in a year.
2. Workplace resource reversal technique: proactive exposure and establish a personal brand
If you feel that you lack opportunities in the workplace, you can take the initiative to create 'little snowballs'.
- Volunteer: Even for small projects, you should actively participate in and strive for opportunities to perform.
- Build a personal brand: share your professional insights within the company or industry community so that more people can see your value.
3. Psychological Cognitive Reversal Technique: Know yourself and break prejudice
To break the negative cycle, we must first face up to our strengths and weaknesses.
- Take advantage of professional testing: You can use PsycTest Quiz to understand your personality traits and potential strengths. This will help you put your energy into the place where you can best use your strengths.
- Change your mindset: Failure is temporary and an opportunity for growth. Look at problems with growth thinking rather than fixed thinking.
| The Matthew effect negative cycle | How to break it |
|---|---|
| Mindset : 'I can't do it' | Action : Complete a small goal every day |
| Behavior : Retreat and unwilling to try | Action : Get out of your comfort zone and actively learn/socialize |
| Result : Continuous failure, self-denial | Action : Focus on strengths and use tools to enhance confidence |
Conclusion: Your life is up to you
The Matthew effect tells us a cruel fact: the world tends to make the strong stronger. But it also gives us a hope: as long as you start to act, even a slight advantage can eventually bring huge changes in life through accumulation and amplification.
Stop complaining about 'why others are always better than me'. Now, it’s the perfect time to start creating your first “small success” and be a beneficiary of the Matthew effect.
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- MBTI personality and money-making ability: Analysis of wealth potential of 16 personality types
- How to discover personality advantages through SWOT analysis
- A complete collection of psychological effects
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