托福口语 Task 3

In behavioral psychology, the concept of 'learned helplessness' refers to a condition in which an individual, after repeated exposure to aversive or uncontrollable situations, comes to believe that their actions have no effect on outcomes. This belief persists even when new opportunities for control arise, leading to passivity, reduced motivation, and an inability to learn coping strategies. Learned helplessness is often studied in contexts of trauma, education, and workplace environments, where chronic failure or lack of agency can undermine a person's initiative and problem-solving abilities.

Professor: Let me give you a classic example from a study with dogs. In the experiment, dogs were placed in a chamber with a low barrier dividing it into two sections. In the first phase, one group of dogs received mild electric shocks that they could not escape, regardless of what they did—pressing a lever, jumping, nothing worked. The other group could stop the shocks by pressing a lever. In the second phase, both groups were placed in the same chamber with the barrier, and shocks were delivered. The dogs that had control quickly learned to jump over the barrier to escape. However, the dogs that had experienced uncontrollable shocks just lay down and whimpered, even though the barrier was low and easy to jump. They didn't even try. They had learned that escape was impossible, so they gave up, even when escape was now possible.