Biomaterial Database

Learned helplessness: effects of noncontingent reinforcement and response cost with emotionally disturbed children. 1984

C F Saylor, and A J Finch, and S C Cassel, and C B Saylor, and A R Penberthy

In order to investigate the effectiveness of noncontingent reinforcement and response cost in inducing learned helplessness and to determine whether depressed Ss respond differently than nondepressed Ss, 28 emotionally disturbed children (20 boys, 8 girls) were tested in a modified learned helplessness paradigm. Children's Depression Inventory score and diagnosis were each used to distinguish "depressed" and "nondepressed" children. Half of the depressed group and half of the nondepressed group received noncontingent response cost, the other half of the two groups received noncontingent positive reinforcement. Results indicated that both noncontingent response cost and noncontingent reinforcement led to reduced persistence time relative to persistence under conditions of contingent reinforcement. There was only one significant difference between depressed and nondepressed Ss (differential persistence time over trials) and there were no significant interactions. Results were discussed in terms of Seligman's formulation of learned helplessness and the extension of this model to a clinical child population.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007859	Learning Disabilities	Conditions characterized by a significant discrepancy between an individual's perceived level of intellect and their ability to acquire new language and other cognitive skills. These may result from organic or psychological conditions. Relatively common subtypes include DYSLEXIA, DYSCALCULIA, and DYSGRAPHIA.	Adolescent Learning Disabilities,Adult Learning Disabilities,Child Learning Disabilities,Developmental Academic Disability,Developmental Academic Disorder,Developmental Disabilities of Scholastic Skills,Learning Disabilities, Adolescent,Learning Disabilities, Child,Learning Disorders,Academic Disorder, Developmental,Adult Learning Disorders,Developmental Disorders of Scholastic Skills,Learning Disorders, Adult,Learning Disturbance,Scholastic Skills Development Disorders,Academic Disabilities, Developmental,Academic Disability, Developmental,Academic Disorders, Developmental,Adolescent Learning Disability,Adult Learning Disability,Adult Learning Disorder,Child Learning Disability,Developmental Academic Disabilities,Developmental Academic Disorders,Disabilities, Adolescent Learning,Disabilities, Adult Learning,Disabilities, Child Learning,Disabilities, Developmental Academic,Disabilities, Learning,Disability, Adolescent Learning,Disability, Adult Learning,Disability, Child Learning,Disability, Developmental Academic,Disability, Learning,Disorder, Learning,Disorders, Adult Learning,Disorders, Learning,Disturbance, Learning,Disturbances, Learning,Learning Disabilities, Adult,Learning Disability,Learning Disability, Adolescent,Learning Disability, Adult,Learning Disability, Child,Learning Disorder,Learning Disorder, Adult,Learning Disturbances
D008297	Male		Males
D011340	Problem Solving	A learning situation involving more than one alternative from which a selection is made in order to attain a specific goal.
D012055	Reinforcement Schedule	A schedule prescribing when the subject is to be reinforced or rewarded in terms of temporal interval in psychological experiments. The schedule may be continuous or intermittent.	Reinforcement Schedules,Schedule, Reinforcement,Schedules, Reinforcement
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D003866	Depressive Disorder	An affective disorder manifested by either a dysphoric mood or loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. The mood disturbance is prominent and relatively persistent.	Depression, Endogenous,Depression, Neurotic,Depression, Unipolar,Depressive Syndrome,Melancholia,Neurosis, Depressive,Unipolar Depression,Depressions, Endogenous,Depressions, Neurotic,Depressions, Unipolar,Depressive Disorders,Depressive Neuroses,Depressive Neurosis,Depressive Syndromes,Disorder, Depressive,Disorders, Depressive,Endogenous Depression,Endogenous Depressions,Melancholias,Neuroses, Depressive,Neurotic Depression,Neurotic Depressions,Syndrome, Depressive,Syndromes, Depressive,Unipolar Depressions
D005260	Female		Females
D006380	Helplessness, Learned	Learned expectation that one's responses are independent of reward and, hence, do not predict or control the occurrence of rewards. Learned helplessness derives from a history, experimentally induced or naturally occurring, of having received punishment/aversive stimulation regardless of responses made. Such circumstances result in an impaired ability to learn. Used for human or animal populations. (APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 1994)	Learned Helplessness
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000124	Achievement	Success in bringing an effort to the desired end; the degree or level of success attained in some specified area (esp. scholastic) or in general.	Accomplishment,Accomplishments,Achievements