1. Madon (2004) Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Do parental expectations of drinking habits come true?

2. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy (SFP)
Answer the following questions in your exercise books.
Write a definition for ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’.
What researchers (mentioned in week 1) examined SFP and what did they find?
Starter

3. Madon (2004) & Self-fulfilling prophecy - Aims
To examine research examining the self-fulfilling prophecy and drinking behaviour, looking at the aim, method and results of Madon (2004). To evaluate the effectiveness of Madon’s research. To plot the nature vs. nurture of criminality using all the research we have examined.
Lesson aims

4. Madon (2004) – Aim & Method
Aim: To examine whether a parent’s expectations of their child’s drinking habits, would become reality.
Method: 115 children aged between (and their parents) took part.
Parents estimated their child’s drinking habits and predicted consumption for the following year.
One year later, the children estimated their own consumption.

5. Madon (2004) - Results There were three main findings:
Children who drank the most alcohol, were the ones whose parents predicted a greater alcohol consumption.
It only took one parent to have a negative opinion about their child’s drinking habits, for a relationship with higher levels of drinking to be established.
However, the children at the greatest risk of alcohol use, were those where both parents held negative beliefs.

6. Madon (2004) - Conclusion
A parent’s prediction of their child’s alcohol use, was generally accurate. It could be argued that this is an example of self-fulfilling prophecy because the parent(s) expectations came true. It also shows that a parent’s belief can have a large impact on their child’s behaviour.

7. Madon (2004) – Evaluation
Draw a table (as below) and outline 2 strengths and weaknesses of Madon’s study.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Large sample equals greater validity.
Real-world application(s). Parents should be wary about holding negative beliefs about their children, as those beliefs could come true, even if they were false to begin with.
The findings of this study may not represent self-fulfilling prophecies, but rather a parent’s accurate prediction of their child’s drinking behaviour.
Correlational – does not show causation.
Questionnaires have social desirability bias.

8. Nature vs. Nurture
Using the key terms below, plot these on a nature vs. nurture line from the most biological explanation (nature) to the most psychological explanation (nurture). Make sure you can justify your answers.
Family studies
Family patterns
Adoption studies
Self-fulfilling prophecy (Madon 2004)
Twin studies
Childrearing strategies
XYY – Chromosomes (Theilgaard, 1984)
Nature
Nurture