Learned
Helplessness
Why do we
sometimes refuse to change? Are we afraid to solve our problems? Do we fail to
see a way out? A famous psychological experiment by Martin Seligman addressed
these questions. In his experiment, he administered electrical shocks to dogs,
and there was no way for the dogs to escape. Next, he administered the
electrical shocks and removed the barrier. The dogs were free to escape the
unpleasant shocks, but they chose not to escape. Psychologists call this
“learned helplessness”---the idea that people remain in unpleasant, and
sometimes unsafe circumstances because they believe there is no other option.
We can avoid
learned helplessness by realizing our options, thinking creatively, and living
courageously. Our
students have taken proactive steps to enroll at NSCC. Students come to us because they want to take
constructive steps to learn as much as possible during their studies. Many of
our students have overcome enormous obstacles to come to college. Thanks for
all you do to help us remove the barriers, both real and imagined.
