A Self-fulfilling Prophecy describes the phenomenon in which an anticipated assessment has such a strong effect that it confirms itself, because people unconsciously adapt their behavior to this assumption or assessment and thus bring about the expected results. A Self-fulfilling Prophecy can have both a positive and a negative effect: If, for example, a person is thought to be highly capable, they often perform better, while negative expectations can inhibit their performance.

The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy is closely related to the Pygmalion or Rosenthal Effect.

Origin

  • Merton, R. K. (1948). The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. The Antioch Review, 8(2), 193–210.
  • Rosenthal, R., & Jacobson, L. (1968). Pygmalion in the Classroom. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Application in UX and UI design

Self-fulfilling prophecy also plays a role in UX and UI design. When users have certain expectations of a website or app, they tend to perceive it that way, even if their actual experience suggests otherwise.

Designers may need to address these expectations, especially if they are negative, for example by

  • Reinforce positive feedback: reward elements and positive confirmation messages promote a positive perception of one's own abilities.
  • Build trust through consistency: a consistent design ensures that users intuitively know what to expect, thus reducing uncertainty.
  • Aesthetic design: People perceive an appealing design as more user-friendly than it actually is (see: Aesthetic Usability Effect
  • Clear instructions, visual hierarchies and a well-thought-out information architecture convey that an application is easy to use.

Impact on the User Experience

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Further information