An Examination of Jussim's (1986) Three-Stage Model of Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

ABSTRACT

An examination of Jussim's (1986) three-stage model of self-fulfilling prophecies identifies two issues: (a) it is necessary to distinguish between an hypothesis about a student and a biased way of treating that student, and (b) it is undesirable to use the term “expectation” at different levels of abstraction. An examination of these issues brings to light two hitherto neglected intertwining factors, theoretical prescription and role prescription, which may be responsible for a teacher's differential treatment of students tracked by ability in the classroom.