Self fulfilling prophecy

What did Rosenthal and Jacobson’s study show about self-fulfilling prophecy?

• Rosenthal and Jacobson’s (1968) study of an elementary school in California.

• They selected a random sample of 20% of the student population and informed teachers that these students could be expected to achieve rapid intellectual development.

• They tested all students at the beginning of the experiment for IQ, and again after one year.

• They found that the RANDOMLY SELECTED ‘spurter’ group had, on average, gained more IQ than the other 80%, who the teachers believed to be ‘average’.

• They also found that the report cards for the 20% group showed that the teachers believed this group had made greater advances in reading.

• Rosenthal and Jacobson speculated that the teachers had passed on their higher expectations to students which had produced a self-fulfilling prophecy.

How did teachers bring about the self-fulfilling prophecy in the study?

Teachers believed certain pupils were more capable and therefore:

• gave them more attention and encouragement

• used more positive body language

• had higher expectations

These behaviours were communicated through everyday classroom interactions, shaping pupil performance.

What key interactionist idea does the self-fulfilling prophecy demonstrate?

It demonstrates the principle that:

• what people believe to be true becomes real in its consequences

Even if the original belief (e.g. about “spurters”) is false, it can still:

• influence behaviour

• produce real outcomes

This highlights the power of social interaction in shaping achievement.

How can self-fulfilling prophecy lead to underachievement?

If teachers have low expectations, they may:

• give less attention

• provide easier work

• show less encouragement

Pupils may then:

• develop a negative self-concept

• lose confidence and motivation

• give up trying

This leads to underachievement, fulfilling the negative prediction.