A self-fulfilling prophecy is a belief about a future outcome that helps to bring about its own fulfillment. This happens because the unconscious expectations that we hold can influence our actions and ultimately cause the initial prediction to become true.

Self-fulfilling prophecies can be either negative or positive and can influence outcomes in various contexts, such as education, healthcare, and work.

What is a self-fulfilling prophecy?

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a psychological phenomenon whereby something happens because we expect it to happen. Self-fulfilling prophecies are based on a belief or expectation (correct or incorrect) that influences our actions in such a way that the original belief or expectation becomes true. This influence can be either negative or positive.

For example, if you believe a job interview will go well, you may be more likely to prepare well or answer the questions with confidence. In contrast, if you feel certain that you will fail an exam, you may prepare less. In both scenarios, your actions can bring about consequences that cause reality to match your initial belief.

Self-fulfilling prophecies may affect both individuals and groups. For example, this is sometimes the case with stereotypes. A negative preconceived notion about a socially vulnerable group, like drug addicts or immigrants, can cause us to treat members of this group in a harsh or indifferent way. This, in turn, will cause them to react negatively to us, reinforcing the initial negative stereotype.

Types of self-fulfilling prophecies

There are two types of self-fulfilling prophecies:

• Self-imposed prophecies
• Other-imposed prophecies

Self-imposed prophecies

These prophecies occur when the beliefs we hold about ourselves influence our own behaviors and actions. Our beliefs can be either negative and limiting or positive and motivational.

Other-imposed prophecies

These prophecies occur when others’ expectations influence our behavior and actions. For example, a parent who views their child as either “bright” or “lazy” may also treat them accordingly. As a result, the child’s behavior may be positively or negatively influenced by their parent’s expectations.

The Pygmalion effect shows that our beliefs about others can lead us to treat them in such a way that they subsequently become what we expect them to be.

How does a self-fulfilling prophecy work?

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a cyclical process consisting of four stages:

1. First, we form a belief or expectation about a future outcome. This may concern ourselves (e.g., “I will ace the upcoming test”) or others (e.g., “my coworkers don’t like me”).
2. This belief influences our attitude towards the situation (e.g., studying hard for the test) or our behavior towards other people (e.g., avoiding talking to colleagues). Our expectations can be expressed verbally or nonverbally.
3. Our attitude and actions shape how others view us. This is reflected in their behavior towards us (e.g., our coworkers also avoid us) or in the feedback we get from the situation (e.g., we pass the test).
4. Our initial belief is confirmed, our behavior is reinforced, and the self-fulfilling prophecy becomes a reality.

Self-fulfilling prophecies are a prime example of how our thoughts and beliefs can bring about consequences that we expected or feared (even if it is at the subconscious level).

Self-fulfilling prophecy example

Self-fulfilling prophecies can affect our relationships with others in unconscious ways.