Rosa's Experience with Calculus: Understanding Learned Helplessness
Rosa's Struggle with Calculus
Rosa is taking calculus and is very anxious that she will not do well. On her first test, Rosa scores a 60%. For her second test, Rosa studies more and scores a 63%. Rosa decides to try harder and studies even more for the third test but scores a 59%. At this point, Rosa decides that she is not smart enough to learn calculus and drops the class.
What Rosa Is Feeling
Which of the following BEST describes what Rosa is feeling?
a. internal locus of control
b. learned helplessness
c. spotlight effect
d. self-serving bias
e. self-efficacy
What best describes what Rosa is feeling? The correct answer to the question is option B: Learned helplessness. Explanation: Learned helplessness can be defined as a learned belief or feeling that is felt by an individual showing that they are helpless and are unable to have any effect or control on events that occur in their lives so they end up quitting trying or end up giving up on trying to have control over those events. It comes to play when people have this belief that their behavior has no influence in consequent events and it usually occurs in children who are repeatedly exposed to school failure just like Rosa in the question. Learned helplessness can make people overlook opportunities for relief or change.