User:Ccurry24/Learned helplessness

Lead Section
Learned helplessness is the behavior exhibited by a subject after enduring repeated aversive stimuli beyond their control. It was initially thought to be caused by from the subject's acceptance of their powerlessness: discontinuing attempts to escape or avoid the aversive stimulus, even when such alternatives are unambiguously presented. Upon exhibiting such behavior, the subject was said to have acquired learned helplessness. Over the past few decades, neuroscience has provided insight into learned helplessness and shown that the original theory actually had it backward s : the brain's default state is to assume that control is not present, and the presence of "helpfulness" is what is  actually  learned first. However, it is unlearned when a subject is faced with prolonged aversive stimulation.

In humans, learned helplessness is related to the concept of self-efficacy; the individual's belief in their innate ability to achieve goals. Learned helplessness theory is the view that clinical depression and related mental illnesses may result from  such   a real  or perceived absence of control over the outcome of a situation.

Later experiments[edit]
Later experiments have served to confirm the depressive effect of feeling a lack of control over an aversive stimulus. For example, in one experiment, humans performed mental tasks in the presence of distracting noise. Those who could use a switch to turn off the noise rarely bothered to do so, yet they performed better than those who could not turn off the noise. Simply being aware of this option was enough to substantially counteract the noise effect. In 2011, an animal study found that animals with control over stressful stimuli exhibited changes in the excitability of certain neurons in the prefrontal cortex. Animals that lacked control failed to exhibit this neural effect and showed signs consistent with learned helplessness and social anxiety. Also found in 2011, a study was focusing on test anxiety and how it correlates to learned helplessness in students. This study, however, did not have significant findings that correlate between the subjects.

Depression[edit]
Abnormal and cognitive psychologists have found a strong correlation between depression-like symptoms and learned helplessness in laboratory animals. ''' Steven Maier, a professor from the University of Colorado, states that a model of depression could be caused by "impaired medial prefrontal cortical inhibitory control over stress-responsive limbic and brainstem structures." Comorbidity between psychological disorders and learned helplessness may be due to stressful events. Maier also mentions depression may not be the only mental illness that this involves, which could link to other mental illnesses. Similarly, the National Institute of Health, in 2021, looked at a wide range of depressive models. It highlights the Learned helplessness model. The model allows one to predict depressive symptoms because of its high rates of overlap with traumatic stress disorder and major depression, which is the leading research in the article, "Overlapping neurobiology of learned helplessness and conditioned defeat: Implications for PTSD and mood disorders." (See Neurobiological perspective section above for further information on this article) '''

''' Young adults and middle-aged parents with a pessimistic explanatory style often suffer from depression. They tend to be poor at problem-solving and cognitive restructuring and demonstrate poor job satisfaction and interpersonal relationships in the workplace. Those with a pessimistic style can have weakened immune systems. It includes increased vulnerability to minor ailments (e.g., cold, fever) and major illnesses (e.g., heart attack, cancers). It can also cause poorer recovery from health problems. '''

Emergence in the political atmosphere
''' In a political setting, learned helplessness is involved when a voter votes for a candidate and that candidate does not win. If this happens over time, it can lead to learned helplessness. When this does occur, it can often lead to having fewer voters in the future. However, Wollman & Stouder (1991) found that there was not a significant finding between situation-specific efficacy and predictive behavior of voting. '''

 Edited from peer review (Underlined, Bolded): 

I decided to take the Professor's advice about trying to rephrase and explain who Steven Maier is.

SethBruder also mentioned expanding the credibility of Maier which I did. They also mentioned about changing the wording which I line through the words I will take out.

Gsims99 said they would read word that same phrase and asked if the section I added to later experiments should have been added with no significant results. I feel that experiments that do not show results also can teach people in the complexity of this subject. I will leave it in for now.

Irvingca Mainly mentioned looking at grammar or syntax flaws. I fixed it some but am not exactly sure what parts sound weird to them? I added the lead section but also am not sure what I would add based off of their recommendation.

Jacob k 2022 points out about the error messages on cite 2 and 3, which is helpful, but I am not sure how to fix that. Jacob also recommends that I may could add more info in the Extensions and the Emergence under torture. I tried to find better, recent information on this, but there is little to no research on it.

The final peer review by Seganey also brings up the wording and credibility of Maier. I tried to fix these up some but I, again, do not know right now to smooth it out. they add to try and mix in other sources than Maier which I will do when I find better sources to add!

I appreciate all the input and will try to add on to my article in accordance with the peer review and other sources.

 Planned Edits: 

Based on the rubric for the wiki article assignment, I will focus on making and improving new sections, reorganization, gaps in the article, smaller additions like relevance, and citations. For the new sections, I was thinking of adding cultural differences depending on which has more research. I also have pretty much made the depression section as a new section contributing to all but one sentence of it. Reorganization is simple because the article already has good structure. I would put my new section, more than likely, under social impacts right before Extensions section. I have already tried to fill in gaps of data for more recent times. I could not find many other gaps besides those. Smaller additions are the majority of what I have done so far. I also have more additions to contribute throughout the paper, mainly the later research section. I have also tried to focus on the citation aspect of my own writing. I have tried to use a citation for every sentence or every other sentence.

Reference
Akca, F. (2011). The relationship between test anxiety and learned helplessness. Social Behavior and Personality: an International Journal, 39(1), 101–111. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2011.39.1.101

Farhart, C. E. (2017). Look Who Is Disaffected Now: Political Causes and Consequences of Learned Helplessness in the U.S. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.

Forgeard, M. J., Haigh, E. A., Beck, A. T., Davidson, R. J., Henn, F. A., Maier, S. F., Mayberg, H. S., & Seligman, M. E. (2011). Beyond depression: Toward a process‐based approach to research, diagnosis, and treatment. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 18(4), 275–299. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2850.2011.01259.x

Hammack SE, Cooper MA, Lezak KR. Overlapping neurobiology of learned helplessness and conditioned defeat: implications for PTSD and mood disorders. Neuropharmacology. 2012;62(2):565‐575.

Nolen, J. (n.d.). Learned helplessness. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/learned-helplessness

Wollman, N., & Stouder, R. (1991). Believed efficacy and political activity: A test of the specificity hypothesis. The Journal of Social Psychology, 131(4), 557–566. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1991.9713885