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Article Summary
“The Influence of the Fulfilling Prophecy”/255
Author: Monica Madrigal Garcia

“SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY”

In the article “The Influence of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy”, their authors: Ronald N.
Adler and Neil Towne explain how our self-concept affects both our present and future as
well as our relations in general. They focus mainly on the case of the phenomenon called
self-fulfilling prophecies. These are situations that are predestined to happen somehow
because we or someone else has suggested it will be so. For example: “You expected to
become nervous and botch a job interview and later did so.”2

There are two categories of self-fulfilling prophecies:

1. Self-imposed prophecies: This happens when we encourage or sabotage ourselves

under certain circumstances. Ourselves' conception is projected as fact. We create our
reality. “Research has demonstrated the power of self-imposed prophecies. In one
study, people who considered themselves incompetent proved less likely to pursue
rewarding relationships with others. Compared to their more confident peers, they
were also more likely to sabotage existing relationships.”5
2. Imposed by one person to another: This occurs when another person influences our
behavior. Significant people in our lives can influence our self-concept and how we
act. “To put this phenomenon in context with the self-concept, we can say that when a
teacher communicates to a child the message 'I think you´re bright, ' the child accepts
that evaluation and changes her self-concept to include it. Unfortunately, we can
assume that the same principle holds for students whose teachers send the message, 'I
think you´re stupid'.”8

This principle applies to all areas and is present in our daily lives. Whether we are
successful or not depends on our predisposition or attitude toward life. “Researchers have
found that putting a smile on your face, even if you´re not in a good mood, can lead to a
more positive disposition.”6