Question 1 of 10 When teachers were told who was gifted in their classes. those students did better than other students, even though they were chosen at random. This is an example of: A. the fundamental attribution error. B. self-fulfilling prophecy. C. a schema. D. the base rate fallacy.

The correct answer is:<br /><br />**B. self-fulfilling prophecy.**<br /><br />### Explanation:<br />A **self-fulfilling prophecy** occurs when an expectation about a person or group leads to behaviors that cause the expectation to come true. In this case, when teachers were told that certain students were "gifted" (even though they were chosen at random), the teachers likely treated those students differently—perhaps giving them more attention, encouragement, or challenging tasks. This treatment led to better performance by those students, fulfilling the initial (false) expectation.<br /><br />Here’s why the other options are incorrect:<br />- **A. the fundamental attribution error**: This refers to the tendency to overemphasize personality traits and underestimate situational factors when explaining someone else's behavior. It does not apply here.<br />- **C. a schema**: A schema is a mental framework or concept that helps organize and interpret information. While schemas might influence teacher expectations, this scenario specifically describes a self-fulfilling prophecy.<br />- **D. the base rate fallacy**: This refers to ignoring statistical probabilities in favor of specific information. It is unrelated to the described phenomenon.<br /><br />Thus, the best explanation for this situation is **self-fulfilling prophecy**.