The Application of the Theory

Learned Helplessness can be seen in many places besides classrooms and schools. For example, circuses use the process of learned helplessness to keep their animals in control. The circus trainers use learned helplessness to keep their animals, like tigers, lions, and elephants under control in an easier way. These fierce creatures are capable of wrecking the whole place if they wanted to.

These animals are captured when they are cubs, and in the elephant's case, when they are calves. When they are captured, they are are put in cages by themselves, or with another of the same species. They try and try to escape, but then they eventually realize that they will not be able to escape. When this happens, the animals simply stop trying to escape. Thus, mission accomplished by the trainers.

Learned Helplessness example

Learned Helplessness can be observed in classrooms. Students can leave the classroom, even the school premises whenever they want. What they don't know at first is that there are serious consequences if you don't have persmission. Once students learn this, they stop leaving whenever they want, and remain calm during class time. This makes teaching a class easier for teachers because they don't have to worry about a mess.