Learned helplessness and optimism

Question 1

Triadic experiments with dogs lead to the theory of

Answer 1

learned helplessness

Question 2

3 group experiment is known as a

Answer 2

Triadic experiment

Question 3

what are the 3 outcomes of uncontrollable circumstances

Answer 3

COGNITIVE deficit:
2. MOTIVATIONAL deficit: belief that outcomes are uncontrollable; lack of response initiation; and, if the outcomes are aversive
3. EMOTIONAL deficit: fear & eventually depression

Question 4

3. CRITICISMS OF ORIGINAL THEORY OF LEARNED HELPLESSNESS

Answer 4

1. Goes beyond the experimental findings (effect in dogs exposed to electric shocks) 2. Fails to explain why a third of subjects show no effect
2. explanation of depression: become helpless) (a) paradox of self-blame (b) fails to explain why not depressesssed

Question 5

When organisms experience uncontrollable outcomes, they explain it in terms of 3 attributional dimensions:

Answer 5

INTERNAL - EXTERNAL DIMENSION: Determines personal or universal helplessness (& accordingly self-blame) STABLE - UNSTABLE DIMENSION: Determines ‘chronicity’ (persistence) GLOBAL - SPECIFIC DIMENSION: Determines generalisability to new situations

Question 6

3 attributional dimensions:

You fail exam (negative outcome) “I’m stupid” is an example of:

Answer 6

internal, stable, global

Question 7

3 attributional dimensions:

You fail exam (negative outcome) “The Exam was unfair” is an example of:

Answer 7

external, unstable, specific

Question 8

3 attributional dimensions:

You come top in exam (positive outcome) you think “I’m brilliant” is an example of

Answer 8

(internal, stable, global)

Question 9

3 attributional dimensions:

You come top in exam (positive outcome) you think “ I was lucky” is an example of

Answer 9

external, unstable, specific

Question 10

The revised theory of learned helplessness (1978) assumes some people have a depressive (pessimistic) attributional style, and have a tendency to

Answer 10

• give ‘internal, stable, global’ attributions for bad outcomes

-give ‘external, unstable, specific’ attributions for good outcomes

Question 11

According to Alloy and Abramson (1979) depressed college students were more

Answer 11

accurate (realistic) in making judgments about their performance in an experimental task

Question 12

According to Alloy and Abramson (1979) non depressed college students were more

Answer 12

likely to over-rate their performance

Question 13

Beck’s theory proposes three types of distortion: 1. negative distortions about 3 levels:

Answer 13

SELF

WORLD

OTHERS

Question 13

Depressed people have negative ——— (sets of cognitions, beliefs, attitudes etc) about

Answer 13

Schemas

• SELF (I’m unlikeable)
• WORLD (nothing ever goes right)
• OTHERS (nobody cares whether I live or die)

Question 14

Beck suggests ——- ——— is a major factor in maintaining depression

Answer 14

distorted thinking

Question 15

there is an assumption depressed patients distort reality whereas mentally healthy people are realistic, POSITIVE ILLUSIONS (TAYLOR, 1989) posits that

Answer 15

It is the opposite:

• mentally healthy people distort reality (see world through ‘rose-tinted glasses’) * depressed patients are more realistic

Question 16

Martin Seligman is a strong advocate of ——– ——— to be both successful & happy: * develop a healthy (‘optimistic’) attributional style

Answer 16

attributional retraining

Question 17

Martin Seligman is a pioneer of the —— ——— movement.

Answer 17

Positive Psychology