When you pay more for your ice cream this year compared to the same time last year, you probably are looking at inflation. This could happen because cocoa beans are now more expensive. The price of dairy may have jumped because not enough cattle feed going around. Or maybe transporting ice creams across the country caust a pretty rupee thanks to higher fuel and wage costs. But there's something else that affects price rice, and here's what main stream economic theory has to say about that. Your expectations matter, and your fear of future inflation could be self fulfilling.