TOEFL Speaking Task 3

The concept of 'learned helplessness' refers to a psychological state in which an individual, after repeatedly experiencing uncontrollable negative outcomes, begins to believe that their actions have no effect on the situation. As a result, they stop trying to change or escape, even when opportunities for relief become available. This phenomenon is often studied in the context of learning and motivation, highlighting how past experiences can shape future behavior.

Professor: In our psychology class, we once did an experiment with rats to illustrate this. We placed a rat in a box with a low barrier dividing it into two sides. On one side, the floor was electrified. Initially, when the shock came, the rat quickly jumped over the barrier to escape. But then we changed the setup—we made the shocks unpredictable and prevented the rat from escaping, regardless of what it did. After several trials, the rat simply lay down and accepted the shocks, even though the barrier was still there. Later, we lowered the barrier to just two inches tall, and the shock was mild. But the rat didn't even try to jump. It had learned that escape was impossible. This shows how past uncontrollable experiences can lead to passivity, even in new situations where escape is actually possible.