Effects of Gaining Control over Aversive Stimuli after Differing Amounts of No Control

Abstract

60 male undergraduates were given 4 levels of experience with insoluble problems. Solutions of problems avoided shock while non-solution resulted in shock. Increasing amounts of prior non-solution were associated with retardation of solving problems once solution became possible. The results were cast in a “learned helplessness” framework. S's speed of reaction increased as problems became soluble. There were no detectable changes in S's skin responses.