ABSTRACT
The self-fulfilling prophecy mechanism has close parallels with the labelling theory of deviancy and mental illness. Thus prognostic expectations are active agents in the change process. However, these processes can be further understood if the self-fulfilling prophecy concept, introduced by the sociologist R. K. Merton, is broken down into its component parts so as to provide a model for applying to the interaction between people. The questioner by expecting Hans to stop at the right answer was actually ‘telling’ him the right answer and thereby fulfilling his own prophecy. The model of the self-fulfilling prophecy described draws out the need to see clearly that if the process described is to take place it is because the label causes people to make predictions about the actor’s future behaviour. This prophecy leads people to act, and they rush to the bank to withdraw their deposits.
