Question

Explain both the Thomas theorem and the self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 1

Thomas theorem:
The Thomas theorem states that, "If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences."
Basically, it means that the outcome of a situation depends upon an individual's perception of it, and not on the situation by itself.
self-fulfilling prophecy:
A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true, by the very terms of the prophecy itself, due to positive feedback between belief and behavior. A positive or negative prophecy, strongly held belief, or delusion—declared as truth when it is actually false—may sufficiently influence people so that their reactions ultimately fulfill the once-false prophecy.
Merton defines it in the following terms:
The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behavior which makes the original false conception come true. This specious validity of the self-fulfilling prophecy perpetuates a reign of error. For the prophet will cite the actual course of events as proof that he was right from the very beginning.