What is learned helplessness?

What is learned helplessness?

• A. A condition where repeated exposure to uncontrollable stressors leads to passive acceptance and belief that one cannot control situations.
• B. A pattern of aggressive behavior in response to stress.
• C. A temporary fear response to new environments.
• D. A coping style that always seeks social support.

Answer: (A)

Learned helplessness is the idea that when someone experiences repeated events they can’t control, they stop trying and come to believe their actions won’t matter. In classic studies, animals exposed to unavoidable shocks stopped trying to avoid or escape even when a way out was later possible, showing a cognitive shift to feeling powerless. This mindset reduces motivation, persistence, and problem-solving, and it can relate to depressive feelings in people. The chosen statement describes this exactly: repeated uncontrollable stress leads to passive acceptance and the belief that one cannot control situations. It’s not about aggression, a temporary fear, or always seeking social support, which is why those options don’t fit.

Learned helplessness is the idea that when someone experiences repeated events they can’t control, they stop trying and come to believe their actions won’t matter. In classic studies, animals exposed to unavoidable shocks stopped trying to avoid or escape even when a way out was later possible, showing a cognitive shift to feeling powerless. This mindset reduces motivation, persistence, and problem-solving, and it can relate to depressive feelings in people. The chosen statement describes this exactly: repeated uncontrollable stress leads to passive acceptance and the belief that one cannot control situations. It’s not about aggression, a temporary fear, or always seeking social support, which is why those options don’t fit.