What is Learned Helplessness?

Many years ago, long before some of the legislation with regard to harm of animals, some psychologists conducted explore projects. In one of them, they placed a dog in a cage which was fitted in the middle with a vertical grate that rose to half the height of its walls. The psychologists had rigged a gadget that would give the dog a small electric shock. When the dog received the shock, it would jump over the town grate to the other side of the cage. The psychologists would then move the dog to the primary side of the cage and give it another shock.

This process was repeated over and over again. Then the researchers decided to turn the rules.

SHOCK YOU LIKE AN ELECTRIC EEL

The dog was placed on the primary side of the cage and given a shock. When it jumped over the grate, however, it was then given another shock on that side of the cage. It didn't take long until the dog didn't bother to jump over the grate. It knew that no matter which side of the cage it was on, there would be a shock over which it had no control.

The dog lay down in the angle of the cage and just took the shocks as they occurred.

Finally, the researchers opened the door of the cage to let the dog out. How surprised they were to watch the dog continue to lie in the angle and not even try to leave. The dog had advanced what we term as "learned helplessness".

Many individuals have had experiences in their lives which conditioned them to accept harmful life events without feeling like they can turn things or take control. We hear of citizen who are in relationships keen domestic violence that is so severe that hospitalization is required on occasion. They are repeatedly beaten but return to the association over and over after each incident.

Some citizen stay in work positions where they are disrespected, taken benefit of or even abused. When offered a better employment position, they turn it down.

People who suffer from learned helplessness do not think that they have control in their lives which would succeed in a certain outcome. They use a passive behaviour style and allow fear to form the bar of their own cages. They tend not to take many risks and normally suffer from low self-esteem.

The good news is that assertiveness is teachable and distorted mental can be changed. Do you feel that you are tapped as a victim in life or don't know how to reach your potential? Try talking with a psychologist who will help you to fabricate the belief you need in order to make good decisions and craft an overwhelming future.

What is Learned Helplessness?

SHOCK YOU LIKE AN ELECTRIC EEL