托福口语 Task 3

In psychology, the concept of 'learned helplessness' refers to a condition in which an individual believes that they have no control over the outcomes of their actions, even when opportunities for control exist. This belief often arises after repeated exposure to uncontrollable negative events, leading to passivity and a failure to act in future situations where escape or improvement is possible. Learned helplessness can affect motivation, learning, and emotional well-being.

Professor: Now, let me give you a classic example from an experiment with dogs. In the first phase, dogs were placed in a chamber where they received mild electric shocks, but they could stop the shocks by pressing a panel with their noses. One group of dogs learned this escape response quickly. However, another group was restrained so that they could not avoid the shocks, no matter what they did. After several trials, these dogs stopped trying altogether. In the second phase, both groups were placed in a new chamber with a low barrier. They could easily jump over the barrier to escape the shocks. The first group jumped over immediately. But the second group—the ones who had learned they were helpless—just lay down and whined, even though escape was now possible. They had learned helplessness.