Number of Types of Training Tasks and the Generality of the Learned Helplessness Effect

Studies by Cole and Coyne and Tiggemann and Winefield have challenged the generality of the helplessness effect. Likewise, Trice and Woods2 found that unsolvable numerical sequence problems brought about helpless behavior on similar problems at a later date, but the same training brought about enhanced performance on an anagram solution test. Variables demonstrated to affect the generality of helplessness training include training task and test task similarity,2 locus of control,2,3 the extent of training,3,4 and the importance of the task.4 The present study tested the hypothesis that the number of different types of training tasks would extend the generality of the helplessness phenomenon

Affect (linguistics · Anagram · Cognitive psychology · Generality · Learned helplessness · Task (project management · Test (biology · Behavioral and Psychological Studies · Cognitive Abilities and Testing · Communication · Education, Achievement, and Giftedness · Psychology · Social Psychology