Self-fulfilling Prophecy (Internal)

Question 1

What is the self-fulfilling prophecy? (SFP)

Answer 1

It’s a prediction that comes true simply by virtue of it having been made

Question 2

Give an example of labelling can affect achievement

Answer 2

• 1 Teacher labels a pupil (e.g. as intelligent) makes predictions about him (e.g. he’ll make outstanding progress)
• 2 Teacher treats pupil accordingly, as if the prediction is already true (e.g. expecting a higher standard of work)
• 3 Pupil internalises expectation, it becomes part of his self-concept, so he becomes the kind of pupil the teacher believed him to be. The prediction is fulfilled.

Question 3

Describe the procedure of Rosenthal and Jacobson’s case study

Answer 3

• They told schools that they had a test made to identify pupils who would ‘spurt’ ahead
• However, it was simply a standard IQ tests, but the teachers didn’t know this
• Researchers picked 20% of all pupils at random and told the school they were ‘spurters’

Question 4

Describe the findings of Rosenthal and Jacobson’s case study

Answer 4

A year later, they found almost half of the students identified as ‘spurters’ had more progress than those who hadn’t been identified

Question 5

Describe conclusions of Rosenthal and Jacobson’s case study

Answer 5

Researchers assumed the teachers treated the ‘spurters’ with special attention and gave them more challenging tasks

Question 6

Give disadvantages of Rosenthal and Jacobson’s case study

Answer 6

• There isn’t rigorous results, as the researchers only ‘assumed’ teachers treated ‘spurters’ differently
• Would be considered unethical as those not labelled ‘spurters’ were given less attention, and the teachers were deceived

Question 7

Give evaluation for SFP (Fuller)

Answer 7

• Mary Fuller studied a group of black girls, who were high achievers in a school where most black girls were placed in low streams
• The girls channelled their anger about being labelled into a pursuit of educational success and rejected their labels