In 1965, an experiment was conducted with dogs that tested their response to electric shocks. During this experiment, dogs were placed in a box with two chambers- one had an electric floor. The dogs were given a mild electric shock every time the experimenter rang a bell, and to this, only some of the dogs jumped to the other chamber and escaped. It was observed that the dogs who did not want to run were generally the ones who had previously been a part of this experiment. However, during the first round, they did not have another chamber to escape to. This condition was named Learned Helplessness by Martin Seligman and his colleagues. (Canino, 1981) It is now seen that this phenomenon is not restricted to dogs but can also apply to rats, cats, fish, and even humans ( Seligman; 1972).
Learned Helplessness refers to a condition where one learns that their responses are independent of desired outcomes (Fincham, Cain; 1986). This condition occurs when an individual is constantly put through negative and uncontrollable situations, making him “helpless” because they stop trying to get out of the problem and changing the circumstance, even when they can.
Learned Helplessness can be seen among children with over-involved parents. When parents get over-involved in their child’s life, they take away their child’s ability to solve their own problems, reducing their competence and mastery. Though it is not intentionally done, the harm that is caused is far greater. Such Learned Helplessness can even be seen among students with over-functioning teachers. Such teachers and parents get stuck in a loop where, even though they know they are doing too much for the child, they feel helpless because of the constant thought that their child needs them and expects help from them.
There are other instances of this condition that might sound familiar to you. A smoker continues to smoke despite several attempts made to quit, which makes him believe that he will never be able to stop and will always remain a smoker. Another example is that of a person trying to lose weight. A person trying to lose weight might have tried various diets or lifestyles, but those might not have been credible. However, failed attempts such as those may cause them to believe that they might never lose weight and give up trying.
According to an experiment conducted with college students, it was seen that repeated experiences of helplessness produce a significant behavior change of mainly three types:
- impaired motivation to respond,
- impaired ability to learn a new behavior, and
- emotional disturbances. (Roueche, Mink; 2013)
If you have identified yourself as experiencing the above or know of anyone who might be in this situation, always feel free to seek professional help to aid you in living a fuller life.
References
Canino, F. J. (1981).
Learned-Helplessness Theory: Implications for Research in Learning Disabilities. The
Journal of Special Education, 15(4), 471–484. doi:10.1177/002246698101500408
Frank D Fincham; Kathleen M Cain (1986).
Learned helplessness in humans: A developmental analysis. , 6(4), 301–333.
doi:10.1016/0273-2297(86)90016-x
Roueche, John E; Mink, Oscar G.
Overcoming Learned Helplessness in Community College Students
Maier, Steven F.; Seligman, Martin E. (1976).
Learned helplessness: Theory and evidence.. , 105(1), 3–46.
