As part of Seligman and colleagues' animal study, it was discovered that the dogs in Group E, the experimental group, were unable to recognize opportunities for control that arose. The researchers labeled this set of behaviors _____.

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The researchers labeled this set of behaviors learned helplessness deficits. Learned helplessness refers to a state in which an individual learns to behave passively and become helpless, even when opportunities for control are presented, due to experiencing uncontrollable aversive events in the past. The dogs in Group E had previously been subjected to uncontrollable electric shocks and then placed in a situation where they could have easily escaped the shocks, yet they failed to do so. This behavior was characteristic of learned helplessness.

As Part of Seligman and Colleagues' Animal Study, It Was