The Self in Action: Performativity, Prophecy, and Responsiveness among Higher Education Students

Abstract

This quantitative study investigates the interplay of performativity, self-imposed prophecy, and responsiveness skills among higher education students, focusing on the role of lecture notes in bootstrapped induction and their association with academic advantage. The population comprised students enrolled in BS (4-year) social sciences programs at a public sector university in Punjab, Pakistan, with the sixth and eighth semesters serving as the unit of analysis. A proportionate random sampling technique was used, yielding 235 valid responses from an initial target of 265 students. Data were collected through a cross-sectional structured questionnaire, pre-tested for clarity, relevance, and reliability. Findings reveal that students’ beliefs about their abilities and their performance of academic roles significantly influence responsiveness skills and engagement, highlighting the role of internal expectations and social enactment in shaping learning outcomes. The study underscores the importance of fostering positive self-perceptions and supportive academic environments to enhance student agency, adaptive learning, and overall academic achievement. These insights contribute to sociological understandings of student behavior and provide guidance for higher education policy and practice.