3. Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

social expectation impact the person about whom the expectation is held - becomes self-fulfilling
Defined by Robert Merton in 1948 - a misconception that later becomes true
Rosenthal & Jacobson Pygmalion Effect - school experiment identified "bloomers" at random but they subsequently became bloomers - not all and not by much by statistically significant
Political science "Security Dilemma" - arming up in anticipation of war - e.g. WWI - mispections of aggression and can't test without a control group - therefore never know for sure
"Behavioural Confirmation" - people's social expectations lead them to act in a way that causes others to confirm these expectations - Reaction Time contest - beliefs can create reality
All cases of behavioral confirmation involve self-fulfilling prophecies, but not all self-fulfilling prophecies involve behavioral confirmation

	Created by Brian Nichol about 13 years ago

Post Graduate Intro to Social Psychology Note on WEEK 1: SOCIAL PERCEPTIONS AND MISPERCEPTIONS, created by Brian Nichol on 30/07/2013.