Professor Fleming's schedule has her teaching an honors section of psychology. Halfway through the semester, she is told that her class was NOT an honors section after all. She responds, "This is the best class I have ever taught, and the grades prove it." What concept might a social psychologist use to explain the high grades this class obtained and Professor Fleming's high opinion of the class?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The best concept to explain this scenario is the self-fulfilling prophecy. This occurs when an individual's expectations influence their behavior and ultimately lead to their expected outcome. In this case, Professor Fleming believed she was teaching an honors section and thus had higher expectations for her students, which could have led to her teaching and grading in a way that led to better performance from her students. This could explain the high grades in the class and her positive opinion of them.

Professor Fleming's Schedule Has Her Teaching an Honors Section of Psychology