In psychology, the concept of 'learned helplessness' refers to a condition in which an individual repeatedly faces an uncontrollable, negative situation and eventually stops trying to change it, even when opportunities to escape or improve the situation later become available. This learned passivity arises from a perceived lack of control, which generalizes to new contexts. Learned helplessness is often studied in both animals and humans, and it can affect motivation, learning, and emotional well-being.
🎧 Conferencia de audio
Professor: Let me give you a classic example from a well-known experiment. Researchers placed dogs in a chamber with a low barrier that they could easily jump over to escape a mild electric shock. But first, they restrained the dogs so they couldn't move while receiving the shocks. After several trials, the dogs were placed in the chamber without restraints. Instead of jumping over the barrier, they simply lay down and whined, passively enduring the shocks. Even though escape was now possible, they had learned that their actions were futile. The key point is that their previous experience of uncontrollability made them give up, even in a new, escapable situation. This demonstrates learned helplessness in action.
❓ Pregunta Question: Using the example from the lecture, explain the concept of learned helplessness.
📊 Rúbrica TOEFL Speaking Task 3
Delivery: Fluency, pronunciation, intonation
Language Use: Grammar, vocabulary, sentence variety
Topic Development: Accurately explain the reading concept and restate the lecture examples
Scored 0-30 based on holistic scoring (original 0-4, scaled to 30). 30s preparation, 60s response.
💡 Consejos
Note the core concept definition from the reading (usually 1-2 sentences)
Record 1-2 specific examples the professor uses in the lecture
Start with the concept definition, then explain with lecture examples
Use template phrases: "The reading defines... The professor illustrates this by..."
Keep within 60s; ensure clarity and fluency
🎤 免费 AI 口语评分
基于 2800+ 托福真题评分库 · 无限次免费使用
⚠️ AI 自动评分基于托福官方口语三大维度（Delivery / Language Use / Topic Development）标准开发，结果仅供练习参考。
