Parents warn a new babysitter that their child is very aggressive and loud. As a result of this initial expectation, the babysitter behaves in such a way that these very behaviours are evoked from the child, thus confirming what the sitter was initially told. This example best demonstrates the phenomenon called ________.
A)the self-fulfilling prophecy
B)the self-serving bias
C)the fundamental attribution error
D)social loafing

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when an individual's expectations about someone else lead to the enactment of behaviors that confirm those expectations. In this case, the babysitter's expectation of the child being aggressive and loud leads to interactions that provoke those very behaviors, thus confirming the initial expectation.

Parents Warn a New Babysitter That Their Child Is Very