SELF FULFILLING PROPHECY

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SELF FULFILLING PROPHECY

• We become what people expect us to become
• and so a negative belief predicts a negative
  behaviour
• If a teacher thinks you will fail in an exam you
  probably will!

2
You must be able to describe and evaluate both
Social Learning Theory and Self fulfilling
Prophecy.
3
Is this true of you?

• Mondays child is fair of face,Tuesdays child is
  full of grace,Wednesdays child is full of
  woe,Thursdays child has far to go,Fridays child
  is loving and giving,Saturdays child works hard
  for his living,And the child that is born on the
  Sabbath dayIs bonny and blithe, and good and gay.

4
According to Jahoda (1954)

• Males born on Wednesday had a significantly
  higher arrest rate (22) than males born on
  Monday (6)

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Labelling
6
In pairs list some labels we give to different
groups (in terms of criminal activity) and
discuss what affect this may have on them.

• The affect of labels/labelling
• Labels can affect an individuals self concept
  (how we see ourselves) and lead to SFP.
• Labels can affect the way others treat you and
  may lead to SFP
• Society may label people according to the way
  others treat you and this may lead to SFP.

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Self Fulfilling Prophecy
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WE TEND TO LIVE UP TO THE LABEL WE ARE GIVEN

• Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) studied
  self-fulfilling prophecy in a classroom
  Pygmalion in the classroom. Teachers were allowed
  to overhear a conversation at the beginning of
  the year that identified 20 children in the class
  as late developers about to spurt. The
  teachers believed this was based on an IQ test
  done, but it was random. At the end of the year,
  those 20 children did indeed have improved IQ
  scores, and continued to for 2 years.
• The prophecy came true because the teachers
  responded differently to them (more feedback
  etc).

What are the moral and ethical issues here?
9
Snyder et al. (1977)

• Found that when male participants we told to get
  acquainted with a female assistant on the phone,
  what they were told about her affected the
  treatment of her, despite never having met. Some
  were told she was attractive, others were told
  she was not.
• When the male participant believed the female was
  attractive, he was more friendly and sociable
  towards her.
• When he told she was not, the males responded in
  an aloof manner.
• This demonstrated that their treatment of the
  women was self-fulfilling, because when they were
  responded to with friendliness, they were then
  more friendly back..

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Exam question

• What is meant by the term Self fulfilling
  prophecy? (4 marks)

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WHY PEOPLE TURN TO CRIME

• A form of labelling.
• Based on the idea that an observers beliefs of
  expectations about a person or group influence
  their social interactions, and therefore elicits
  or creates the expected behaviour. (Merton,
  1948).
• A form of stereotyping
• The observers beliefs are based on their schemas
  or stereotypes relating to that group or
  individual
• They will tend more to notice, and even seek
  behaviour that conforms to their expectations,
  and ignore that which doesnt.This then acts as
  reinforcement of their opinion. (Selective social
  interaction).

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How does this apply to explanations of criminal
behaviour?

• When observers expect anti-social behaviour, they
• confirm expectations and seek confirmation in
  behaviour.
• The observed will then behave in anti-social ways
  due to the encouragement provided for it, their
  negative self-belief (that they are not capable
  of better behaviour).
• The pressure to conform to expectations, and the
  feeling that any pro-social behaviour is ignored
  means any effort to change is pointless.

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.but

• It works better IF
• More than one person holds the same expectation
• When those expecting someone to behave in a
  certain way, and those behaving are not familiar
  to each other.
• The expected behaviour is not far different from
  the individuals normal behaviour.
• The expectation is negative
• It does not work IF
• The person with the expected behaviour of the
  individual is of low power.

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Evaluation

• Strengths
• Weaknesses

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Exam question

• Discuss how far SFP can be used as an explanation
  of anti Social behaviour.
• (8 marks)
• 3. Discuss how SFP may account for some
  instances of crime. (8 marks)