LEARNED HELPLESSNESS

Learned Helplessness

Learned Helplessness

Introduction

Learned helplessness was first studied and described as an animal's failure to escape traumatic electric shock. (Bargai, 2007) Although learned helplessness was first studied in laboratory animals, here we are discussing the theory as it applies to people. The theory describes what happens when a person comes to believe they have no control over their situation and that whatever they do is futile. As a result, the person will stay passive in the face of an unpleasant, harmful, or damaging situation, even when they actually do have the ability to improve the circumstances

Uncontrollable events disrupt peoples' ...