College students faced with unsolvable problems eventually give up and make only half-hearted attempts to solve new problems, even when the new problems can be solved easily. This behavior is probably due to ________.
A) contingency blocking
B) response generalization
C) latent learning
D) learned helplessness

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The behavior of giving up and making half-hearted attempts to solve new problems even when they can be solved easily is a classic sign of learned helplessness, which occurs when an organism experiences a situation where it has no control over a situation and eventually gives up trying to change or escape the situation. This learned response then affects future behavior, as the organism may feel helpless in similar situations even if they are actually solvable.

College Students Faced with Unsolvable Problems Eventually Give Up and Make