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The study of learned helplessness began in 1964 by the American scientist Martin Seligman. As a young graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, he made an observation that laid the foundation for one of the most famous and interesting psychological theories, now substantiated in detail and tested in numerous experiments.
Psychologists define helplessness as a state that occurs in a situation when it seems to a person that external events do not depend on him, and he can do nothing to prevent or change them. If this state and the peculiarities of motivation associated with it are transferred to other situations, then it means that there is a learned helplessness. A very short history of the uncontrollability of the surrounding world is enough for the learned helplessness to begin to live, as it were, its own life, to control our behavior itself, - the Russian psychologist VG Romek is convinced.
The expectation that the results do not depend on the reaction of a person, the experience of uncontrollable events naturally entails a number of consequences:
1. Motivational: uncontrollable events reduce motivation to search for reactions through which you can take control of the situation, lead to a decrease in the desire to prevent difficult situations or actively master them;
2. Cognitive: as a result of uncontrollable events, a person has difficulties in assimilating that his reactions can affect the situation, pessimism is generated;
3. Emotional: Repeated experiences of uncontrolled events gradually lead to an emotional state resembling depression.
Moreover, it is not so much unpleasant or painful events in themselves that are responsible for the emergence of a state of helplessness, but the experience of their uncontrollability. Scientists point to the following external circumstances that lead to the learning of helplessness (form a state of helplessness):
Let's consider each factor in relation to the organization's personnel management, their influence on the motivation of professional activity.
Lack of consequences. The staff is not informed about the results of their efforts. For example, meetings are held on a regular basis, at which employees make suggestions for eliminating deficiencies, but the management does not react to them in any way. Over time, offers will run out.
Monotony of consequences. When an employee encounters massive criticism from a manager, regardless of what and how he does, then in the absence of an opportunity to break off the relationship (quit this job), he eventually gives up and becomes passive.
One can observe the learning of helplessness even with the monotony of positive consequences. An employee who has a high patron in the organization and does different - good and bad - actions, knowing that they will still be protected from trouble, can be as helpless as one who constantly faces trouble.
In general, as Romek notes, helplessness arises when a person trying to solve a certain behavioral problem does not find any system in how others react to his actions, and no one helps him to discover this system.
Asynchronous consequences. Helplessness is also formed in the case when a person commits correct and erroneous actions, unable to determine why his efforts are either effective or in vain. The reason for helplessness may lie in the fact that so much time passes between actions and their consequences (asynchrony in time) that a person cannot connect the reactions of leadership with one or another of his own actions. The spread on Mondays "on the carpet" by the chief, bonuses issued on a random basis only strengthen the employee in his confidence that nothing depends on him.
It has been experimentally established that if an employee is given too difficult tasks, he will begin to doubt his ability to perform them correctly, every unsuccessful result will be experienced as uncontrollable, and this will lead to the formation of helplessness. But such a state will not arise if a person is convinced that the task has no solution in principle. In this case, he will assign responsibility for the results of actions to external factors (lack of a decision). And if he admits that the task is feasible (has a solution), but at the same time considers that special training is required to complete it, which he does not have, a state of helplessness will not arise.
However, there are the following intrapersonal factors that contribute to the emergence of helplessness.
In the process of research, it was found that in people with an external locus of control, helplessness was formed faster than in those with an internal locus. However, the dependence is somewhat more complicated here. Psychologists note that if the situation of failure is significant for a person with an external locus of control, then the feeling of helplessness can be quite acute, but it does not apply to other situations. When the cause of failure is associated by an individual with circumstances beyond his control, the refusal to be active should primarily concern this particular situation and not necessarily extend to others. Moreover, he notes that the refusal to be active in this particular task may be accompanied by a shift of interests to other areas of activity.
If a person considers himself guilty of failures of himself (internal locus of control), then he can explain it in two ways:
Obviously, the study of these personal characteristics of applicants for a vacancy will make it possible to predict their activity, in particular, when faced with difficulties and failures.
Psychologists agree that learned helplessness is easier to prevent than to change. But the theory of helplessness contains assumptions about the possibilities of both preventing and changing this state. To protect a person from the expectation of uncontrollable events, one should provide him with the experiences that accompany complete control. The organization needs to create such a corporate culture, such a management style that will demonstrate to the staff the ability to control the external environment with the provision of synchronous and varied feedback, that is, create conditions that form proactive and competent (rather than helpless ) employees.
Psychologists define helplessness as a state that occurs in a situation when it seems to a person that external events do not depend on him, and he can do nothing to prevent or change them. If this state and the peculiarities of motivation associated with it are transferred to other situations, then it means that there is a learned helplessness. A very short history of the uncontrollability of the surrounding world is enough for the learned helplessness to begin to live, as it were, its own life, to control our behavior itself, - the Russian psychologist VG Romek is convinced.
The expectation that the results do not depend on the reaction of a person, the experience of uncontrollable events naturally entails a number of consequences:
1. Motivational: uncontrollable events reduce motivation to search for reactions through which you can take control of the situation, lead to a decrease in the desire to prevent difficult situations or actively master them;
2. Cognitive: as a result of uncontrollable events, a person has difficulties in assimilating that his reactions can affect the situation, pessimism is generated;
3. Emotional: Repeated experiences of uncontrolled events gradually lead to an emotional state resembling depression.
Moreover, it is not so much unpleasant or painful events in themselves that are responsible for the emergence of a state of helplessness, but the experience of their uncontrollability. Scientists point to the following external circumstances that lead to the learning of helplessness (form a state of helplessness):
- complete absence of the consequences of active actions (deprivation);
- monotony of consequences;
- asynchrony, or lack of visible communication between actions and their consequences.
Let's consider each factor in relation to the organization's personnel management, their influence on the motivation of professional activity.
Lack of consequences. The staff is not informed about the results of their efforts. For example, meetings are held on a regular basis, at which employees make suggestions for eliminating deficiencies, but the management does not react to them in any way. Over time, offers will run out.
Monotony of consequences. When an employee encounters massive criticism from a manager, regardless of what and how he does, then in the absence of an opportunity to break off the relationship (quit this job), he eventually gives up and becomes passive.
One can observe the learning of helplessness even with the monotony of positive consequences. An employee who has a high patron in the organization and does different - good and bad - actions, knowing that they will still be protected from trouble, can be as helpless as one who constantly faces trouble.
In general, as Romek notes, helplessness arises when a person trying to solve a certain behavioral problem does not find any system in how others react to his actions, and no one helps him to discover this system.
Asynchronous consequences. Helplessness is also formed in the case when a person commits correct and erroneous actions, unable to determine why his efforts are either effective or in vain. The reason for helplessness may lie in the fact that so much time passes between actions and their consequences (asynchrony in time) that a person cannot connect the reactions of leadership with one or another of his own actions. The spread on Mondays "on the carpet" by the chief, bonuses issued on a random basis only strengthen the employee in his confidence that nothing depends on him.
It has been experimentally established that if an employee is given too difficult tasks, he will begin to doubt his ability to perform them correctly, every unsuccessful result will be experienced as uncontrollable, and this will lead to the formation of helplessness. But such a state will not arise if a person is convinced that the task has no solution in principle. In this case, he will assign responsibility for the results of actions to external factors (lack of a decision). And if he admits that the task is feasible (has a solution), but at the same time considers that special training is required to complete it, which he does not have, a state of helplessness will not arise.
However, there are the following intrapersonal factors that contribute to the emergence of helplessness.
- The influence of previous experience of uncontrollability, inability to influence the situation associated with failure.
- The attitude of success depends on chance. The activity and efficiency of a person with such an attitude is lower than when he is convinced that everything depends on his efforts (skills, abilities).
- Locus of control. This concept is related to whether a person feels his worth to influence other people and his own life. Confidence in the ability to control a situation indicates an internal locus (Latin locus - place) of control. People who see the source of control over their lives in external circumstances have an external locus of control.
In the process of research, it was found that in people with an external locus of control, helplessness was formed faster than in those with an internal locus. However, the dependence is somewhat more complicated here. Psychologists note that if the situation of failure is significant for a person with an external locus of control, then the feeling of helplessness can be quite acute, but it does not apply to other situations. When the cause of failure is associated by an individual with circumstances beyond his control, the refusal to be active should primarily concern this particular situation and not necessarily extend to others. Moreover, he notes that the refusal to be active in this particular task may be accompanied by a shift of interests to other areas of activity.
If a person considers himself guilty of failures of himself (internal locus of control), then he can explain it in two ways:
- negative personality traits (for example, lack of ability) that are perceived as stable (unchanging) and universal. Such attitudes have the most serious consequences, since they lead to the abandonment of search activity at the very first failures, and reduce the level of motivation. Helplessness and refusal to search here tend to generalize, that is, to transfer to other situations;
- lack of efforts to achieve the goal: "I failed because I worked little (poorly prepared, etc.)." With this explanation of failure, a person attunes himself to the fact that, with enough effort, he is able to achieve success.
Obviously, the study of these personal characteristics of applicants for a vacancy will make it possible to predict their activity, in particular, when faced with difficulties and failures.
Psychologists agree that learned helplessness is easier to prevent than to change. But the theory of helplessness contains assumptions about the possibilities of both preventing and changing this state. To protect a person from the expectation of uncontrollable events, one should provide him with the experiences that accompany complete control. The organization needs to create such a corporate culture, such a management style that will demonstrate to the staff the ability to control the external environment with the provision of synchronous and varied feedback, that is, create conditions that form proactive and competent (rather than helpless ) employees.
