Learned helplessness with Martin Seligman BY: SPENCER PALKO, JARED SHEVEL, AND BRANDON ARNOLD
Martin Seligman Born in 1942 Wrote self help books Promoter of positive psychology Professor at the University of Pennsylvania
Purpose of the experiment To help people not feel hopeless
The experiment There were three groups of dogs. Group 1 dogs were suspended by harnesses. Group 2 was given electric shocks that stopped when they pulled a lever. Group 3 received the same shocks but could not be ended by their lever.
Results The group 1 and 2 dogs were able to recover quickly. Group 3 accepted the pain and had chronic helplessness. The group 3 dogs didn't even try to stop the shocks in later expiriments.
Problems A few dogs were shocked to death as they didn't do anything to stop the pain.
Would we participate We would not participate in this experiment as it would involve hurting, and possibly killing dogs.