Learned helplessness and response difficulty

Abstract

To determine the effects of preshock ( PS) and sex on subsequent escape learning, 32 male and 32 female rats, approximately 90- 110 days old were tested on barpress escape responding. The rats were randomly assigned to an inescapable PS treatment or the no- shock control treatment ( C). These groups were further randomly assigned to four groups of four according to a required frequency of the barpress escape response, FR 2, FR 3, FR 4, and FR 5. The results showed marked learning deficits in the PS groups at intermediate task- difficulty levels ( FR 3 and FR 4). Female C rats tended to have slightly lower mean escape latencies than male controls. There were no sex differences among the PS rats. Thus, helplessness was demonstrated at intermediate task levels ( FR 3 and FR 4), but not at extreme levels ( FR 2 and FR 5). An interesting interaction with sex was observed. © 1979, The Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.