The theory opposes the hypothesis of operant conditioning as, in it, instead of learning to avoid negative stimuli, the dogs were "programmed" to recognize reinforcers as uncontrollable and, hence, did not avoid the shocks.
Research on levels of norepinephrine in the brain indicate that the motor activation deficit hypothesis may be more suitable than this theory, which arose in the late 1970's within the framework of attribution theory. The classic experiment in which it was first elucidated involved dogs who were shocked in one scenario and then were able to avoid the shock in a subsequent scenario. The theory opposes the hypothesis of operant conditioning as, in it, instead of learning to avoid negative stimuli, the dogs were "programmed" to recognize reinforcers as uncontrollable and, hence, did not avoid the shocks. FTP name this theory posited by Martin Seligman; a theory of depression where the patient acquires a debilitating inability to avoid trauma.
Research on levels of norepinephrine in the brain indicate that the motor activation deficit hypothesis may be more suitable than this theory, which arose in the late 1970's within the framework of attribution theory.
learned helplessness