In therapy, a psychologist tries to convince a depressed woman that her actions do affect the environment and that even though uncontrollable events happened in the past, they need not happen again. This therapist is making use of principles from ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The therapist is using principles from learned helplessness theory, which suggests that depression is caused by a person's belief that they have no control over the outcomes of their actions. By convincing the woman that her actions do affect the environment and that past uncontrollable events need not happen again, the therapist is directly addressing and attempting to reverse the feelings of helplessness that are central to this theory.

In Therapy, a Psychologist Tries to Convince a Depressed Woman