Lissa hates public speaking. She knows she will not do well in her speech class. As her first speech assignment approaches, Lissa doesn't really work on it, as she believes she won't do well on it anyway. When she receives a "D" on the speech, Lissa tells her father, "See? I told you I wasn't good at this"! Which phenomenon is Lissa likely experiencing?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lissa's belief that she would not do well in her speech class led her to not prepare adequately, which in turn resulted in a poor grade that confirmed her original belief. This is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy, where an individual's expectations about a situation or themselves lead to behaviors that cause those expectations to come true.

Lissa Hates Public Speaking