A shuttlebox was used by:
A)Martin Seligman and Steven Maier to demonstrate the phenomenon of learned helplessness.
B)B. F. Skinner to demonstrate the phenomenon of shaping.
C)John Garcia to demonstrate the phenomenon of taste aversions.
D)Ivan Pavlov to demonstrate the phenomenon of stimulus generalization.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The shuttlebox was used by Martin Seligman and Steven Maier to demonstrate the phenomenon of learned helplessness. In this experiment, dogs were placed in a shuttlebox, and one side of the box delivered an electric shock while the other side did not. Initially, the dogs would jump to the non-shocking side to escape the shock. However, after repeated exposure to the electric shock, the dogs stopped trying to escape and instead lay down passively, indicating that they had learned to be helpless in the face of the aversive stimulus. This experiment became a classic in the field of psychology and helped researchers understand the concept of learned helplessness.

A Shuttlebox Was Used By