Question

Why is it that speculation often results in self-fulfilling prophesy?

Answer 1

A self-fulfilling prophecy is the phenomenon of someone predicting/expecting something and this prediction coming true simply because the person believes it will and the person's resulting behaviors aligning to fulfill the belief.

A self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when an originally false social belief leads people to act in ways that objectively confirm that belief. There are two types of self-fulfilling prophecies: Self-imposed prophecies occur when your own expectations influence your actions. Other-imposed prophecies occur when others' expectations influence your behavior. All opinions you value can cause this prophecy. So, when our own expectations influence our actions, it is our speculation that is leading us to believe in it without any firm evidence. Then, when we act on that speculation, it gives us the notion that the belief is true and leads to self-fulfilling prophecy.