Learned Helplessness Flashcards
What is Learned Helplessness?
A phonomenon observed both in humans and animals when they have been conditioned to expect pain, suffering, or discomfort without a way to escape it. Eventually, after enough conditioning, they stop trying to avoid the pain at all - even if there is an opportunity to truly escape it.
When humans or animals act as if they are helpless?
When human or other animals come to the conclusion (or believe) that they have no control over what happens to them, they begin to feel and act as if they are helpless.
Why it is called “Learned”?
It is called learned helplessness because it is not an innate trait; no one is born believing that they have absolutely no control over what happens to them. It is learned behavior, conditioned through expreiences in which the subject either truly has no control over his circumstances or believes that he has no control.
(First part of the experiement) What groups did the psychologists divide the dogs into?
Three groups
1) dogs were strapped in harness for a period of time and were not administered any shocks
2) dogs were strapped in harness for a period of time and were administered shocks that they can avoid by pressing a panel with their nose
3) dogs were placed in harnesses and administered electrical shocks that they could not avoid.
What was the second part of the experiment?
The dogs were put one by one in a box divided by a low fence, and administered light unpleasant electrick shock. The dogs could see the other half and could go over the fence and avoid the shocks - one half was electrified while the other was not.
What happened in the second part of the experiment?
Dogs from group one and two quickly figured out that they only need to jump over the fence to avoid the shocks, but most of the dogs from group three did not even attept to avoid them. Based on their previous experience, these dogs concluded that there was nothing they could do to avoid being shocked.
What is classic behavior to learned helplessness?
When presented with a potential option to avoid pain, they do not even to attempt to take it.
How is learned helplessness seen in elephants?
When a trainer begins the training process with a baby elephant, he uses a rope to tie one of the elephants`s legs to a post. The elephant will struggle for hours, even days, trying to escape the robe, but eventually it will quiet down and accept its range of motion. When the elephant grows up, it is strong enough to break the rope, but it will not even try. Once it has learned that struggle is useless, it will no longer attempt to break the rope.
What is the result of subjecting participants to situation in which they have no control over?
1) motivational deficit - refers to the subject`s lack of response to potential methods of escaping a negative situation
2) emotional deficit - refers to the depressed state that comes when the subject is in a negative situation that he feels is not under his or hers control
What are the types of learned helplessness?
Universal and Personal
1) Universal (external) - the subject beleives nothing can be done about the situation he is in (belief that no one can help him)
2) Personal (internal) - the subject believes that others may find a solution or avoid the pain but he, personally, is not capable
Who is more likely to suffere from low self-esteem?
Personally helpless people are more likely to suffer from low self-esteem since they believe others could solve the problems they feel incapable of solving
What are the factors a person can blame for the outcome of a situation?
1) external (universal) vs internal (personal)
2) global vs specific
3) stable (chronic) or unstable (transient)
What is the global attribute?
the factor which the person blames for the outcome of a situation (global vs specific) Global attribute - the factors affecting the outcome applies to a large number of situations, not just one of them. When a person experience negative impacts in several areas of life rather than just the most relevant area. (More likely to experience severe depression than those who have a more specific feeling of helplessness) being stupid (affecting all areas) vs not being good at something (specific, affecting singular area)
What is attribute (attribution)?
It is the factor that a person blames for the outcome of a situation
What is the specific attribute?
the factors affecting the outcome applies to onesituations, not all of them. being stupid (affecting all areas) vs not being good at something (specific, affecting singular area)
