# Learned helplessness



## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

A teacher can induce learned helplessness in her students in only 5 minutes.

Indefensión aprendida (subtitulado) - YouTube


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

Thanks for sharing. I was just discussing learned helpless in regards to dogs with a friend last night. The video gives me some things to think about.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

I like the term!!!
I like to use it in a different context though.
I think some rescue groups create the learned helplessness situation in adopters by advertising that they will find the perfect match for their situation and place the perfect dog into their home. This misleads adopters into believing that they are entitled to a saint walking into their home that will communicate and obey them by means of telepathy. They are under a false impression that they can just lean back since it is the rescue group's responsibility to give them the perfect dog. Similar thinking applies to basic care, heaven forbid expecting the family to provide aftercare after treatments. Only experienced rescue volunteers can be qualified to do that. Which ends up landing the dog back in rescue if a health condition that requires more than trivial care arises.


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