If you are into Greek mythology, you probably have heard the story of Oedipus. This tale, which became one of the best examples of self-fulling prophecy, shows how Oedipus and his father, Laius, unconsciously (or maybe consciously?) manifested their fate. Like the Oedipus tale, we may have self-prophesied our destiny in several aspects of our lives, whether positive or negative.

For instance, have you ever foreseen something that eventually happened to you? You’re not alone. Self-fulfilling prophecies are so ingrained in our psychology and social environment that we often don’t even notice how they can affect our everyday encounters.

But what is a self-fulfilling prophecy, and how did it come about?
What Is a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

A self-fulfilling prophecy is when a person's belief generates a conscious or unconscious behavior that makes their thoughts come true.

It works like a vicious cycle. You hold a belief about other people and yourself, which affects your actions concerning them or yourself. For others, the assumptions affect how you act toward them, thus influencing their views about you. If you hold expectations about yourself, this affects your actions, creating behavior that validates your assumptions.

Robert Merton created the term in the mid-20th century after several studies on the sociological aspect of self-fulling prophecy.

Based on his research, the sociologist believed that flawed social beliefs impact people’s behaviors – so much so that lies become a reality. Because people act in ways that support others’ assumptions, false premises behind self-fulfilling prophecies can create destructive social issues - not to mention, they may also bring about psychological effects such as low self-esteem, depression, etc.