When a child is frequently labeled as lazy and unintelligent, they begin to believe these labels and use them to explain their poor academic results. What psychological concept does this illustrate?

Explanation

This scenario demonstrates a self-fulfilling prophecy, where the child's acceptance of negative labels leads them to perform poorly, thereby confirming the original criticism. The contact hypothesis relates to reducing prejudice through interaction, scapegoating involves unfair blame, and reverse discrimination refers to perceived discrimination against majority groups.