Learned Helplessness

Abstract

This study examined the mediating influence of internal-external attribution style and comparative performance information on responses to task success and failure. Subjects classified as exhibiting either an internal or external attribution style were induced to either succeed or fail on an initial task and then attempted a second, solvable task. In addition, the initial task was performed either alone or in the presence of a confederate who succeeded on the task. Results indicated that subjects with an external attribution style were little influenced by the task success manipulation or by the presence of a successful co-participant. By contrast, internal subjects who failed on the first task in the presence of a successful confederate performed better on the second task than did subjects who performed the first task alone. These results complement previous research, which indicates that internally oriented individuals are more responsive to control contingencies, and under certain conditions, respond to failure with enhanced subsequent performance.