Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

1.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Definition: A self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when a false belief or
prediction evokes behaviors that make the originally false belief come
true (Merton, 1948).
Example: If a teacher thinks a student is very talented, the teacher
might give that student more attention and support. Because of this
extra help, the student performs better, making the teacher's original
belief come true.

2.

The Matthew Effect
Definition: The Matthew effect describes how initial advantages or
disadvantages tend to accumulate, leading to richer or poorer
outcomes over time (Merton, 1968).
Example: In school, a student who reads well might get more
opportunities to read interesting books, which makes them even better
at reading. Meanwhile, a student who struggles with reading might get
left behind.

3.

Echo Chamber Effect
Definition: The echo chamber effect occurs when people are exposed
only to information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own
(Jamieson & Cappella, 2008).
Example: On social media, someone might only follow accounts that
share their political views. This can make them think that everyone
agrees with them because they only see similar opinions.

4.

Murphy's Law
Definition: Murphy's law states that anything that can go wrong, will go
wrong (Bloch, 1977).
Example: If you're running late and need everything to go perfectly,
that's often when things start to go wrong — like you can't find your
keys, or there's unexpected traffic.

5.

Pygmalion Effect
Definition: The Pygmalion effect is the phenomenon whereby higher
expectations lead to an increase in performance (Rosenthal &
Jacobson, 1968).
Example: A coach believes that their athlete can perform exceptionally
well in an upcoming competition. Motivated by the coach's confidence,
the athlete trains harder and performs better.

6.

Overton Window
Definition: The Overton window is a model for understanding how the
range of acceptable public opinion can change over time,
encompassing ideas considered permissible in public discourse
(Mackinac Center for Public Policy, 2003).
Example: The idea of legalizing marijuana was once outside the
Overton window in many countries but has shifted over the years and is
now a widely accepted policy in several regions.

7.

Iron Cage
The concept of the iron cage describes the increased rationalization
inherent in social life, particularly in Western capitalist societies, which
traps individuals in systems of efficiency, rational calculation, and
control (Weber, 1930).
An employee at a large corporation feels trapped in a routine,
monotonous job that values efficiency over creativity, feeling like just
another part of a big machine.

8.

Reference list
Bloch, A. (1977). Murphy's Law, and other reasons why things go wrong! Price/Stern/Sloan. Retrieved from Google Books
Jamieson, K. H., & Cappella, J. N. (2008). Echo chamber: Rush Limbaugh and the conservative media establishment. Oxford University
Press. Retrieved from Google Books
Karpenko, O. V. (2019). The "Overton Window" as manipulative mechanism of public values transformation. Naukovyi Visnyk
Natsionalnoho Hirnychoho Universytetu, (1), 130–136. Retrieved from CEEOL
Jussim, L. (1986). Self-fulfilling prophecies: A theoretical and integrative review. Psychological Review, 93(4), 429–445.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.93.4.429
Rigney, D. (2010). The Matthew Effect: How Advantage Begets Further Advantage. Columbia University Press. Retrieved from Google
Books
Boser, U., Wilhelm, M., & Hanna, R. (2014). The power of the Pygmalion effect: Teachers' expectations strongly predict college
completion. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 36(3), 431–452. Retrieved from ERIC
Weber, M. (1930). The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. Routledge. Retrieved from Taylor & Francis