Page 7 - LECTURETTE TOPICS eBOOK

Self Fulfilling Prophecy

(Pygmalion Research - 1968)

The original research of Rosenthal and Jacobson focused on an experiment

at an elementary school where students took intelligence pre-tests.Rosenthal

and Jacobson then informed the teachers of the names of twenty percent of

the students in the school who were showing “unusual potential for intellec-

tual growth” and would bloom academically within the year.

Unknown to the teachers, these students were selected randomly with no re-

lation to the initial test.When Rosenthal and Jacobson tested the students

eight months later, they discovered that the randomly selected students who

teachers thought would bloom scored significantly higher.

Higher expectations of teachers induced higher performance. This showed

the immense power of the ‘self fulfilling prophecy’. This logic of ‘self ful-

filling prophecy’ applies almost universally. High expectations induce high

performance, while low expectations induce low performance.

Can I Know/ Should I Know Myself?

Let us note some facts.

Fact #1 - It is very difficult to form an accurate clear self concept.

Fact #2 - Human capacity for growth is unlimited.

Fact #3 - By being proactive we can unlearn poor habits and learn good

habits and, thus change our personalities for the better.

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