Abstract

CRUZ TORRES, Christian Enrique et al. UNCONTROLLABLE RESULTS THROUGHOUT LIFE AND GENERALIZED LEARNED HELPLESSNESS: ENHANCERS FOR ACCEPTANCE OF A LOWER STATUS. Suma Psicol. [online]. 2013, vol.20, n.2, pp.129-146. ISSN 0121-4381.  https://doi.org/10.14349/sumapsi2013.1278.

We propose that being exposed to high levels of uncontrollable results leads to a state of generalized learned helplessness, i.e. a disposition for avoiding difficult tasks, giving up easily while facing hard situations and easily accepting the superiority of others in scenarios of competition. This condition is relevant in individual and group status conformation. Two studies are presented; the first one analyzes responses of 375 participants to measures of exposition to uncontrollable results in history of life (rearing styles lived during childhood, and troubles experienced through life) and a state of generalized learned helplessness (coping styles, motivation to avoid failure, belief in a just world and emotional coping uncertainty. It is concluded that high levels of exposition to uncontrollable results are associated positively with the generalized learned helplessness indices. The second study uses an experimental procedure where 63 participants of the first study play three rounds of competitions fixed in order to make them lose all games. Finalizing each round, losers take on the receivers' role in the ultimatum game, while the winners are the proposers. It is observed that participants with high exposure to uncontrollable results sooner accept the superiority of the other player in the experimental task. This perception of few possibilities of winning is associated with better acceptance of the minimal offer in the ultimatum game. Results of both studies are discussed around the social system justification theory and relationships between groups and social categories with status differences.

Keywords : Learned helplessness; dominance hierarchy; life experiences; intergroup relations; uncertainty.

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