Abstract
This study investigated the effects of preperformance information on actual classroom teachers’ expectations and attributions for a hypothetical male student. Teachers were found to have higher expectations for the student with ascending than with descending performance pattern and when the student was labeled learning disabled (or had no label) than when the student was labeled mildly retarded. Prior special education involvement did not influence expectancies. Ascending as compared to descending performance was ascribed more to teacher than student causes in line with egotism considerations.