Self-Fulfilling Prophecy - GCSE Sociology Definition

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a situation where someone’s beliefs or expectations about a person or event cause those beliefs to come true. For example, if a teacher thinks a student is very clever and treats them as if they are, the student might start to believe it too and work harder, eventually becoming a top performer. On the other hand, if a student is labelled as a troublemaker, they might behave badly because that’s what is expected of them. This concept shows how expectations can influence behaviour, which is important in sociology because it helps us understand how people’s self perception can affect their actions and outcomes in society.