Learned helplessness

The development of learned helplessness is not only possible in dogs. Similar experiments have been conducted on many other animals, from cockroaches to humans. Our species does not even have to be electrocuted - it is enough to give a knowingly unsolvable puzzle to drastically reduce the probability of successfully completing any subsequent tasks.

In general, the main principle for developing learned helplessness is to create a situation in which the subject cannot understand the logic of events, predict them, or influence them. It is not even necessary that they be bad events, only the absence of connection between the actions and the result is fundamental.

Now I will try to explain in more detail. Have you ever had the feeling "I won't go to the elections (I won't start running in the morning) because nothing will change"? There it is, learned helplessness.

Learned helplessness, also learned helplessness, is a human or animal condition when an individual makes no attempt to improve his or her condition (does not try to avoid negative stimuli or get positive ones), although it is possible.

It usually appears after several unsuccessful attempts to influence (or avoid) negative environmental circumstances and is characterized by passivity, refusal to act, unwillingness to change the hostile environment or avoid it, even when such an opportunity arises.

In humans, according to a number of studies, it is accompanied by a loss of a sense of freedom and control, disbelief in the possibility of change and in one's own strength, depression, and even an acceleration of the onset of death. The phenomenon was first discovered in 1967.

Here is an example .

A cage. There are five monkeys in it. There's a bunch of bananas tied to the ceiling. Underneath them is a ladder. One of the monkeys, hungry, approaches the ladder with the obvious intention of reaching for the banana. As soon as it touches the ladder, you open the faucet and hose ALL the monkeys down with very cold water.

A little time passes and another monkey tries to eat the banana. Same action on your part.

Turn off the water.

The third monkey, stupefied with hunger, tries to get the banana, but the others grab it, not wanting a cold shower. Now remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new monkey. She immediately, noticing the bananas, tries to get them. To her horror, she saw the angry faces of the other monkeys attacking her.

After the third attempt she realized that she would not be able to get the banana. Now remove one more of the original five monkeys from the cage and put the newcomer in. As soon as she tried to get the banana, all the monkeys attacked her, and the one that was replaced first (with enthusiasm).

And so, gradually replacing all the monkeys, you will come to a situation where there are five monkeys in the cage, which were not watered at all, but who will not allow anyone to get a banana.