Depression – Learning TheoryDepression – Learning Theory

Depression is the result of a person’s Depression is the result of a person’s interaction with their environmentinteraction with their environment Classical conditioningClassical conditioning Operant conditioningOperant conditioning

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Learning Theory & DepressionLearning Theory & Depression

Learned association between certain Learned association between certain stimuli & negative emotional statesstimuli & negative emotional states

Removal of positive reinforcement from Removal of positive reinforcement from the environmentthe environment

Inadvertent reinforcement of depressed Inadvertent reinforcement of depressed behaviour by othersbehaviour by others

Learned helplessnessLearned helplessness

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Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

If a person learns that their behaviour If a person learns that their behaviour makes no difference to their aversive makes no difference to their aversive environment, they may stop trying to environment, they may stop trying to escape from aversive stimuli escape from aversive stimuli even when even when escape is possibleescape is possible..

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Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

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Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

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Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

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Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

Seligman (1974)Seligman (1974) Dogs subjected to inescapable electric shocks Dogs subjected to inescapable electric shocks

later failed to escape from shocks even when later failed to escape from shocks even when it was possible to do soit was possible to do so

Maier & Seligman (1976)Maier & Seligman (1976) People subjected to inescapable noise, People subjected to inescapable noise,

insoluble problems later gave up trying in insoluble problems later gave up trying in similar situations, similar to Seligman’s dogssimilar situations, similar to Seligman’s dogs

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Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

Learned helplessness does have similarities to Learned helplessness does have similarities to depressed behaviour in humansdepressed behaviour in humans

Findings are inconsistentFindings are inconsistent Unexplained gender differencesUnexplained gender differences Some studies show inescapable situations Some studies show inescapable situations facilitatefacilitate

later escape behaviourlater escape behaviour

Helplessness in humans depends a great deal Helplessness in humans depends a great deal on the on the cognitionscognitions people have about their people have about their situationsituation

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