Question

Please read the passage and answer the question that follow:
A popular Bollywood movie Lagaan portrays India before Independence. Indians were ruled by the British for many years. They were denied basic rights. The common and the lower strata of the society were not provided the privilege of education as the Britishers felt that Indians are not good enough. They deliberately gave Indians less qualified jobs and kept highly qualified jobs for themselves. Based on the passage answer the following question:
Like the Britishers in the movie, Indians also believed that they were useless and continued to take up jobs that were below their potential. This on part of Indians is an example of:

• A. Scapegoating
• B. Social Identity
• C. Kernel of Truth
• D. Self-fulfilling prophecy

Hint:

Self-fulfilling prophecies can be powerful, as they influence people’s actions and beliefs, sometimes leading to the very outcome that was originally expected.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

A self-fulfilling prophecy refers to a belief or expectation about something that influences actions in a way that causes the belief to become true. In the passage, the Britishers' negative beliefs about Indians (that they were not good enough) led to Indians internalizing this belief. This belief influenced their actions, and they continued to take up jobs that were below their potential. This created a cycle where the expectation was reinforced, making it true.
- Scapegoating involves blaming an individual or group for problems not necessarily caused by them, which is not relevant here.
- Social Identity refers to how individuals define themselves in terms of group membership, but the scenario here involves internalized beliefs and actions based on those beliefs.
- Kernel of Truth refers to the idea that some stereotype or belief may have a small basis in reality, which does not apply here, as the belief in the Britishers' superiority was not valid or true.
Thus, the correct answer is Self-fulfilling prophecy.