Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Post a description of how your expectations might influence your behavior toward a new acquaintance. Explain whether self-fulfilling prophecy made it more likely the new acquaintance would be just the kind of person you had expected him or her to be. Explain the implications of the self-fulfilling prophecy for your own education, career(s), and relationships.
Sample Solution
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
A self-fulfilling prophecy is a belief or expectation that an individual holds about a future event that manifests because the individual holds it (Good Therapy, 2015). For example, if you wake up and immediately think – perhaps for no particular reason at all – that today is going to be a terrible day, your attitude might make your prediction come true. You may unconsciously work to affirm your belief by ignoring the positive, amplifying the negative, and behaving in ways that are unlikely to contribute to an enjoyable day. It is not hard to see that self-fulfilling prophecies can lead to cycles of though and behavior – both good and bad. For example, a person who is constantly doubting his ability to perform at his job may inadvertently sabotage himself. This results in a lack of practices and experience, which only serves to make his work even less competent, leading to even more self-doubt and even lower self-esteem.
