“The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behavior which makes the originally false conception come true. The 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.”
Quote by Robert K. Merton
Author
Robert K. Merton
Robert K. Merton was a prominent sociologist of science, born on July 4, 1910, and passed away on February 23, 2003. His research focused on the sociology of science, offering profound insights into the production of scientific knowledge, the behavior of scientists, and the relationship between science and society. more
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