Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Definition

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true, by the very act of the prophecy or expectation being expressed. It is a phenomenon where an individual's expectations about another person or situation leads them to behave in ways that cause the expected outcome to occur.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Self-fulfilling prophecies can lead to both positive and negative outcomes, depending on the initial expectations.
2. Individuals often unconsciously behave in ways that cause others to fulfill their expectations, creating a self-reinforcing cycle.
3. The Pygmalion effect, where higher expectations lead to improved performance, is a well-documented example of a positive self-fulfilling prophecy.
4. Confirmation bias can contribute to the development and perpetuation of self-fulfilling prophecies by causing people to seek out and interpret information that supports their initial beliefs.
5. Self-fulfilling prophecies can have significant implications in various contexts, such as education, employment, and interpersonal relationships.

Review Questions

• Explain how self-fulfilling prophecies can lead to both positive and negative outcomes.
  • Self-fulfilling prophecies can lead to both positive and negative outcomes, depending on the initial expectations. When people have high expectations of others, they may unconsciously behave in ways that encourage the expected behavior, leading to improved performance or success (Pygmalion effect). Conversely, when people have low expectations of others, they may act in ways that undermine the individual's abilities, causing the expected negative outcome to occur. The self-reinforcing nature of self-fulfilling prophecies can create a cycle that perpetuates the initial expectations, regardless of their accuracy.
• Describe the role of confirmation bias in the development and perpetuation of self-fulfilling prophecies.
  • Confirmation bias, the tendency to seek out and prioritize information that confirms one's preexisting beliefs, can contribute to the development and perpetuation of self-fulfilling prophecies. When individuals have certain expectations about others or a situation, they may selectively attend to and interpret information in a way that supports their initial beliefs, even if the evidence is inconclusive or contradictory. This selective processing of information can strengthen the individual's confidence in their expectations, making them more likely to act in ways that elicit the expected behavior from others, further reinforcing the self-fulfilling prophecy.
• Analyze the potential implications of self-fulfilling prophecies in various contexts, such as education, employment, and interpersonal relationships.
  • Self-fulfilling prophecies can have significant implications in various contexts. In education, teachers' expectations of students can influence the students' academic performance and self-perception, leading to either positive or negative outcomes. In employment, managers' expectations of employees can shape the employees' motivation, job satisfaction, and career trajectories. In interpersonal relationships, individuals' preconceptions about others can lead them to behave in ways that elicit the expected behavior, impacting the quality and dynamics of the relationships. Understanding the power of self-fulfilling prophecies is crucial for individuals and organizations to foster more accurate social perceptions, avoid biased decision-making, and create environments that support positive, equitable, and empowering outcomes.

Related terms

Expectancy Theory: A theory that suggests people's behaviors are influenced by their expectations about the outcomes of those behaviors.

Pygmalion Effect: A phenomenon where higher expectations lead to improved performance, often observed in educational and organizational settings.

Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for, interpret, and prioritize information that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or hypotheses.