Martin Seligman (also see this link), a psychologist and author of Learned Optimism, describes a phenomenon known as learned helplessness. In his early studies with dogs, he noticed that after having been shocked several times, with no mode of escape, the dogs eventually laid down and stopped attempting to avoid the shock.
After the dogs had reached this state, they were put into a different cage that had a mode of escape. When exposed to the shock, they still did not try to escape. He hypothesized that they learned that nothing they did made a difference, so they quit trying.
Soon the same phenomenon was shown to occur in humans (although they didn't use cages and shocks).
An interesting finding in both groups was that 1/3 of the group in both the dogs and in humans did not develop learned helplessness. It was as it they were immune. 1/10 were helpless from the start.
It was next shown that it was the explanations made for the situation which dictated ease with which helplessness occurred, which was expanded upon to show that the style or habits of explanation were most predictive.
Those who were most likely to become helpless were those who used explanatory styles to explain negatives that were 1) permanent (I always fail) 2) pervasive (I fail at everything) 3) Personal (It's my fault that I fail)
On the other hand, those that were not likely to become helpless had explanatory styles for negatives that were the opposite 1) temporary (I failed this time, but I usually don't) 2) Specific (I failed on this task, but don't on others) and 3) External (It wasn't my fault).
Interestingly, those who are more likely to become helpless displayed the opposite style to describe positives. They were temporary, specific, and external. "It probably won't happen again, but on this one task, I got lucky.
Those less likely to become helpless use permanent, pervasive, and personal explanatory styles for positives. "I always do good, at everything, because I'm good."
Seligman says this on page 6:
Now, go down to Jon Newman's last post, and read the abstract of the article he posted.
Our explanations are contextual, and are indeed very important.
Next week, I'll start on the last section: Outside-in neuromodulation.
After the dogs had reached this state, they were put into a different cage that had a mode of escape. When exposed to the shock, they still did not try to escape. He hypothesized that they learned that nothing they did made a difference, so they quit trying.
Soon the same phenomenon was shown to occur in humans (although they didn't use cages and shocks).
An interesting finding in both groups was that 1/3 of the group in both the dogs and in humans did not develop learned helplessness. It was as it they were immune. 1/10 were helpless from the start.
It was next shown that it was the explanations made for the situation which dictated ease with which helplessness occurred, which was expanded upon to show that the style or habits of explanation were most predictive.
Those who were most likely to become helpless were those who used explanatory styles to explain negatives that were 1) permanent (I always fail) 2) pervasive (I fail at everything) 3) Personal (It's my fault that I fail)
On the other hand, those that were not likely to become helpless had explanatory styles for negatives that were the opposite 1) temporary (I failed this time, but I usually don't) 2) Specific (I failed on this task, but don't on others) and 3) External (It wasn't my fault).
Interestingly, those who are more likely to become helpless displayed the opposite style to describe positives. They were temporary, specific, and external. "It probably won't happen again, but on this one task, I got lucky.
Those less likely to become helpless use permanent, pervasive, and personal explanatory styles for positives. "I always do good, at everything, because I'm good."
Seligman says this on page 6:
personal control means the ability to change things by one's voluntary actions; it is the opposite of helplessness.
Our explanations are contextual, and are indeed very important.
Next week, I'll start on the last section: Outside-in neuromodulation.
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