At the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School, 100 student pilots were randomly assigned to five different math classes with their teachers not knowing about this random placement. Instead, each teacher was told that his or her students had unusually high or low ability. Students in the classes labeled high ability improved much more in math scores than those in low-ability classes, although, initially, all the classes had students of equal ability. Although the teachers were not conscious of it, they apparently communicated their expectations subtly to students by their tone of voice, body language, and encouragement or criticism. These hints created what is known as a(n)
A)anthropomorphic error.
B)placebo effect.
C)self-fulfilling prophecy.
D)observer effect.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This scenario describes a self-fulfilling prophecy, where the teachers' expectations influenced their behavior towards the students, which in turn affected the students' performance, making the initial expectations come true.

At the US Air Force Academy Preparatory School, 100 Student Pilots Were