After dogs have experienced inescapable shocks, they are placed in a shuttlebox in which they can easily jump over a barrier from one side of the shuttlebox to the other. If the dogs have developed learned helplessness, they would most likely respond to another shock by:
A)jumping over the barrier to escape the shock.
B)doing nothing.
C)jumping out of the shuttlebox altogether.
D)trying to bite the experimenter.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the dogs have developed learned helplessness, they would not try to escape the shock as they have learned that their actions are futile and no matter what they do, they cannot escape the shock. Therefore, they would do nothing and simply endure the shock.

After Dogs Have Experienced Inescapable Shocks, They Are Placed in a Shuttlebox