• Definition: A self-fulfilling prophecy is a concept where our beliefs and expectations about others can influence their behavior in a way that these beliefs become true.

• Example: Imagine you're a teacher who believes that certain students ("bloomers") are more intelligent than others. You create a warm learning environment for them, allow them more time to answer questions, and give them more detailed feedback. This can lead to these students performing better, hence confirming your original belief that they are smarter.

Example: If society perceives that women are less proficient at math or African Americans less proficient at science, they might have fewer opportunities in these fields. This can affect their job prospects and income, perpetuating the stereotype, and creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

• Definition: Stereotype threat refers to the anxiety experienced by individuals who feel that their behavior in a certain situation may reinforce a negative group stereotype. This stress can cause underperformance.

• Example: Suppose a woman, aware of the stereotype that women are bad at math, is about to take a math test. The anxiety caused by this stereotype may affect her performance, causing her to underperform due to stress-induced factors like poor concentration or increased heart rate.