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, begins to believe that their actions have no effect on outcomes. Consequently, they stop trying to change their situation, even when opportunities for escape or improvement become available. This phenomenon was first demonstrated in animal experiments, but it also applies to human behavior, affecting motivation, problem-solving, and emotional well-being.

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. One group could stop the shock by pressing a panel with their nose. The other group received shocks randomly, with no way to stop them. After this first phase, all dogs were put in a shuttle box—a box with a low barrier in the middle. When the floor was electrified, they could easily jump over the barrier to escape the shock. The dogs that had control in the first phase quickly learned to jump. But the dogs that had experienced uncontrollable shocks just lay down and whined, even though escape was now possible. They had learned that their efforts were useless, so they didn't even try.