托福口语 Task 3

In psychology, the concept of 'learned helplessness' refers to a condition in which an individual, after repeated exposure to uncontrollable negative events, stops trying to avoid or change the situation, even when escape or change becomes possible. This occurs because the person has learned to believe that their actions have no effect on outcomes, leading to passivity and a sense of powerlessness. Learned helplessness can affect motivation, emotional well-being, and problem-solving abilities in various life contexts.

Professor: Let me give you a classic example from a study with dogs. In the experiment, dogs were placed in a chamber with an electrified floor. In the first phase, they received electric shocks, but there was a lever they could press to stop the shocks. However, for some dogs, the lever was disabled—pressing it did nothing. These dogs initially struggled, but after many failed attempts, they gave up and just accepted the shocks. In the second phase, all dogs were moved to a new chamber with a low barrier that they could easily jump over to escape the shocks. The dogs that had control in the first phase quickly jumped over the barrier. But the dogs that had learned helplessness in the first phase—they just lay down, whimpered, and didn't even try to jump. Even though escape was now possible, they had learned that their actions were useless.