Students in one study were exposed to uncontrollable, loud bursts of noise that they could not escape. In a later part of the study, these participants failed to protect themselves from a new set of noises that they could have easily stopped. This study provides an example of ________ .

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The study described is a classic example of learned helplessness, a concept developed by psychologist Martin Seligman in the 1960s. Participants in the study were exposed to uncontrollable noise (an aversive stimulus) and thus learned that their actions had no effect on the outcome. As a result, when presented with a new set of noises that they could have easily stopped, they did not even try, demonstrating learned helplessness.

Students in One Study Were Exposed to Uncontrollable, Loud Bursts