A teacher consistently praises a student for their intelligence, leading the student to believe they are exceptionally bright. As a result, the student works harder and performs better academically. This scenario can be classified as which of the following?

The situation is an example of a self‑fulfilling prophecy. The teacher’s praise creates a belief in the student that they are smart, which motivates the student to study harder. Because the student now works more, they actually perform better, confirming the teacher’s original belief. In this way the teacher’s expectation turns into a reality that reinforces itself. This is the classic pattern of a self‑fulfilling prophecy.