Glossary / Lexicon

Learned helplessness

Learned helplessness refers to a tendency to be a passive learner who depends on others for decisions and guidance.

In individuals with learningdisabilities, continued struggle and failure can heighten this lack of self- confidence. It also means the hopelessness and resignation learned when a human or animal perceives no control over repeated bad events.

Other /More definition:
learned helplessness refers to Martin Seligman’s theory that people become anxious and depressed when they make an attribution that they have no control over the stress in their lives whether or not they actually have control.

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