Date of Graduation

Summer 2025

Degree

Master of Science in Psychology

Department

Mental Health & Behavioral Science

Committee Chair

D. Wayne Mitchell

Abstract

The current study entails the partial replication of a classic learned helplessness two-phase triadic design experiment within an online learning context and aimed to validate a new attributional style self-report measure designed to identify individual differences in tendencies to develop learned helplessness consistent with the original reformulation of the hypothesis. Further, recent innovations in neuroscientific technology have allowed for a deeper examination of the mechanisms at play, finding support for a major re-interpretation of the theory of learned helplessness - suggesting that helplessness is more so the default passive response, while the active ingredient that is detected or expected (i.e., learned) is sense of controllability. It was hypothesized that: (1) a group initially and repeatedly exposed to unsolvable anagrams will perform worse than groups initially exposed to solvable anagrams on a subsequent identical solvable anagram measure, with regard to mean response latencies, number of trials to solution (three consecutive solutions under 15 seconds), percentage of correct trials (solved within 100 seconds), and slope of response latencies across trials; and (2) individuals with global, stable, and internal (i.e., pessimistic) attributional styles will demonstrate greater susceptibility to learned helplessness than those with specific, unstable, and external (i.e., optimistic) attributional styles on both the new Learned Helplessness Attributional Scale (LHAS) and the original Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ), with the new measure demonstrating greater predictive validity. While statistically significant differences were not observed between the experimental groups, the results were mostly in the predicted direction and influenced by confounding variables as evidenced in the inescapable condition’s within-group variability. Pessimistic individuals for the most part were no more likely to be impaired by the effects of prior uncontrollability, however, contrary to what was expected, individuals with stable attributional styles for negative outcomes were less likely to experience this interference. Lastly, while the LHAS demonstrated superior internal consistency, the original ASQ exhibited stronger criterion validity. After accounting for recruitment group, students were found to be significantly more susceptible to the phenomenon, and professionals with internal attributional styles for negative outcomes were more likely to experience this deficit. While of theoretical interest, however, these latter findings are exploratory and require further examination.

Keywords

human learned helplessness, attributional style, online, anagrams, replication, validation

Subject Categories

Social Psychology

Copyright

© Arshpreet (Sunny) Kandola

Download

Open Access

Share

COinS