Frustation and learned helplessness

J Exp Psychol Anim Behav Process. 1975 Apr;1(2):149-57. doi: 10.1037//0097-7403.1.2.149.

Abstract

This article reports the transfer of learned helplessness from one aversive motivator, shock to another, frustration. In experiment 1, animals were trained to approach food in a runway and concomitantly exposed to either escapable, inescapable, or no shock in a different situation. Extinction was conducted in the runway, and subsequently the animals were tested for hurdle-jump escape from the frustrating goal box. Inescapably shocked rats failed to learn to hurdle-jump, whereas escapably or nonshocked animals learned the frustration escape response. Experiment 2 replicated the basic finidngs of Experiment 1 and showed transfer of learned helplessness from shock to frustration when no running response had been first acquired in the runway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Avoidance Learning*
  • Conditioning, Operant
  • Electroshock
  • Extinction, Psychological
  • Frustration*
  • Generalization, Psychological
  • Male
  • Motivation
  • Rats
  • Transfer, Psychology