Learned helplessness

An acceptance of powerlessness

Learned helplessness is the behavior exhibited by a subject after enduring repeated aversives beyond their control. It was initially thought to be caused by the subject’s acceptance of their powerlessness by discontinuing attempts to escape or avoid the aversive stimulus.

Early experiments

In 1967, the American psychologist Martin Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania researched docking shocks and harnesses.

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More: https://chemaclass.com/blog/learned-helplessness/