Learned Helplessness

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Learned Helplessness

Learned helplessness is a technical term that refers to the condition of a human or animal that has learned to behave helplessly, failing to respond even though there are opportunities for it to help itself by avoiding unpleasant circumstances or by gaining positive rewards. Learned helplessness theory is the view that clinical depression and related mental illnesses may result from a perceived absence of control over the outcome of a situation.   Organisms which have been ineffective and less sensitive in determining the consequences of their behaviour are defined as having acquired learned helplessness.

wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learned_helplessness

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