Shirley refuses to put her name up for a promotion because she knows she will not get the job anyway. This is an example of
A) learned helplessness.
B) negative reinforcement.
C) punishment.
D) Both A and B are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of learned helplessness, which occurs when an individual learns to behave a certain way because of past experiences where they had no control over the outcome. In this case, Shirley most likely has come to believe that no matter what she does, she will not be promoted, so she gives up without even trying. Negative reinforcement and punishment do not fit in this scenario.

Shirley Refuses to Put Her Name Up for a Promotion