5.10 : Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness

Avoidance learning and learned helplessness are critical concepts in understanding behavioral responses to negative stimuli.

Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the aversive stimulus. For instance, animals trained to avoid an electric shock by moving to a safe area will continue this behavior even when the shock risk is gone.

Learned helplessness arises from exposure to unavoidable negative stimuli, leading to a belief that one has no control over negative outcomes. Martin Seligman and his colleagues first identified this phenomenon through experiments where dogs exposed to inescapable shocks later failed to learn avoidance behaviors, even when escape was possible. This condition persisted, causing the dogs to endure shocks without attempting to escape. In humans, learned helplessness can manifest as an inability to avoid negative situations, such as in cases of depression or among victims of domestic violence. It helps explain why some individuals give up trying to improve their circumstances after repeated failures.

These concepts illustrate how experiences with negative stimuli shape behavior, emphasizing the importance of perceived control in learning and motivation.