How Would a Social Psychologist Explain the Results of Rosenthal

question 159

Multiple Choice

How would a social psychologist explain the results of Rosenthal and Jacobson's (1968) study, in which erroneous teacher expectations changed the behaviors of their students?

• A) Teachers, like many of us, are irrational.
• B) Intelligence tests are poor predictors of academic performance.
• C) Our social expectations influence our own and others' behaviors.
• D) Teachers, like many of us, are motivated to see themselves in a positive light.

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Definitions:

Social Identity Theory

A psychological theory that explains how individuals categorize themselves and others into groups, leading to identification with one's own group and discrimination against others.

Social Comparison

The comparison of oneself to others in ways that raise one’s self-esteem.

Control Group

A control group is a baseline group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment, allowing researchers to measure the effect of the treatment by comparing it to this group.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A belief or expectation that an individual holds about a future event that manifests because the individual holds it.