An Empirical Analysis and Strategy Research on the Transformation of Underachieving Students from the Perspective of Educational Psychological Effects — Taking the "Broken Windows Effect" and "Hawthorne Effect" as Examples

Abstract

The presence of underachieving students remains an inescapable challenge in educational practice. The psychological concepts of the Broken Windows Effect and the Hawthorne Effect provide critical theoretical frameworks for transforming such students. This study constructs a practical pathway for student improvement from dual perspectives — students and teachers — by integrating the temporal characteristics of educational processes. Empirical case analyses validate that teachers must adopt a dual-strategy approach. First, they should establish a defense mechanism against the Broken Windows Effect through reinforced routine management to disrupt the transmission chain of negative behaviors, while maintaining educational commitment to avoid abandoning transformation efforts due to cognitive biases. Second, they should implement personalized interventions based on the Hawthorne Effect, such as refining expectation goals and enhancing self-efficacy, to build a positive motivational system. Additionally, transformation objectives should be decomposed following Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development theory, leveraging phased success experiences to strengthen behavioral change motivation, while employing the art of "pedagogical restraint" to mitigate the negative impacts of the satiation effect. Strategic application of psychological effect theories can effectively facilitate the transformation of underperforming students, realizing the educational vision of "sculpting seemingly rotten wood and polishing stubborn stones".