For learned helplessness, pre-exposure to escape _____ the helplessness brought on by _____ aversive stimulation:
A) Blocks; inescapable
B) Causes; excessive
C) Enhances; noncontingent
D) Augments; expected

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Learned helplessness is a condition in which a person suffers from a sense of powerlessness, arising from a traumatic event or persistent failure to succeed. It is theorized that pre-exposure to escapable situations can block or mitigate the development of learned helplessness that would otherwise result from exposure to inescapable aversive stimulation. This is because the experience of being able to escape from aversive stimuli can teach the individual that actions can have an effect on their environment, which contradicts the sense of helplessness.

For Learned Helplessness, Pre-Exposure to Escape _____ the Helplessness Brought