Author: imr5133

In Lecture 16 titled, “Cognitive & Observational Learning”, we learned about the Cognitive Learning Theory. Part of this theory included the idea of learned helplessness. Learned helplessness can be defined as the failure to escape from a situation because of previous failures. In class, we looked at an experiment testing learned helplessness with dogs. There were two platforms with a divider between them. The researcher delivered a shock to the one platform inducing pain in the animal. The dog quickly realized that he could jump over the barrier to the other side and avoid being shocked. The researcher then raised the barrier so that the dog could no longer jump to the other side and avoid being shocked. Once the researcher lowered the barrier once again (allowing the dog to jump across and avoid a shock), the dog didn’t bother trying to jump across. He simply sat there hopeless. The dog failed to escape shock from his previous failures. This is a prime example of learned helplessness caused by successive failure.

Last weekend, I watched a movie called “Trafficked” with my parents. The movie was about three teenage girls from across the world getting captured, and sold, into sex slavery. “Trafficked” was extremely graphic and accurately represented the horrendous experiences that victims of human trafficking endure. The three girls were held hostage with other victims at a brothel in rural Texas. Dozens of girls tried to escape by fighting, running, and manipulating those around them. Each attempt they took failed and resulted in painful consequences including death. After several years (and hundreds of failed attempts) the victims grew hopeless. The girls exhibited the classic symptoms of learned helplessness when they became defeated. Eventually, one of the girls created an elaborate plan and was able to escape. The other victims were freed by the authorities shortly after.

The movie “Trafficked” depicts learned helplessness at an extreme (yet accurate) level. Learned helplessness is the failure to escape or preserve because of other failures. After so many failed attempts to escape, the girls lost hope and no longer saw a chance at survival. Many of us can not relate to the intense level of learned helplessness that the girls exhibited, however, learned helplessness can also be found in day-to-day life. For example, if you keep failing every Econ test that you study for 20+ hours, you may feel hopeless and quit studying for the next exam.

In lecture 12 titled “Prenatal, Infancy, and Child Development”, we discussed prenatal development, Piaget’s Theory and Stages, social development, origins of attachment, and more. When discussing Piaget’s Theory, we learned an information process system known as assimilation and accommodation. Both assimilation and accommodation are based on schemas. A schema is a mental concept that organizes and interprets a set of information. For example, if I was walking on campus and saw a sign near the edge of the sidewalk, I would interpret this sign to be a traffic sign and place it into my already existing schema of traffic signs. When you attempt to organize or interpret schema information, you can either process it through assimilation or accommodation. In assimilation, you interpret new information in terms of our already existing schemas. In accommodation, you adapt or adjust your existing schemas to fit new experiences into them.  An example of assimilation could occur if a child had an existing schema that cats are small animals with fuzzy hair, therefore all small animals with fuzzy hair must be cats. When they see a dog (another small animal with fuzzy hair), they call it a cat because it falls into their existing schema. An example of accommodation would occur if that same child was told by a parent, “That’s not a cat. It a cat and dog may look similar, but that animal is a dog”. This child will then revise its existing schema to interpret the differences between cats and dogs.  

Even as adults, we constantly use assimilation and accommodation to interpret and process new information. Yesterday, I had an experience with my friend who did not recognize the significance behind the numbers “409” in Penn State culture. My family is from State College; we have always supported Joe Pa for all that he, and his family, has done for the University. My friend saw a “409” sticker on my laptop and asks, “Is that an area code?”. I thought about his question for a minute (as I was pretty surprised that he didn’t recognize the iconic number). I then realized that he used assimilation to fit “409” fell into his preexisting schema of area codes. Area codes are always a short, three-digit, sequence of numbers. Some people like to display their area code as it shows where they are from. It makes sense why he would interpret “409” to be an area code based on his existing schema. I quickly explained to him that “409” is the number of Jo Pa’s wins as the head coach of the football team. I explained to him why many people support the Paterno family today. After explaining to him the meaning behind “409”, he used accommodation to adapt this new meaning into his previous understanding of short, three-digit sequences.  

In our fourth lecture in Psychology, we learned that everything psychological is simultaneously biological through beginning to understand the complex function of the nervous system.  More specifically, we learned about the information system built from billions of interconnected cells called neurons. A neuron is the basic working unit of the brain; it is a cell that transmits information to other nerve cells, muscle, or gland cells. Neurotransmitters can often be referred to as “chemical-messengers”. They are molecules that transmit information between neurons, or from neurons to other parts of the body. You may have heard that depression is the result of a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. According to Harvard Health Publishing, “Research suggests that depression doesn’t spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression” (“What Causes Depression” 2019). My grandmother has suffered from depression for many years now. In 2018, she was hospitalized for her depression for several months in a rehabilitation center in Altoona. This was an extremely hard time for my family. My grandmother has been forever changed by her depression. She went from a being an energetic and loving individual, to becoming inverted and distant. She barely talks anymore. I hope and pray that with time and treatment she will be back to herself again. A reason for my grandmother’s severe depression could be attributed to how her nerve cells communicate with each other. According to Harvard Health Publishing, “Brain cells usually produce levels of neurotransmitters that keep senses, learning, movements, and moods perking along” (“What Causes Depression” 2019). To further explain, in some people who are severely depressed like my grandmother, the complex systems that accomplish this malfunction. Receptors can be both over and under-sensitive to a specific neurotransmitter. One of the big neurotransmitters believed to influence depression is serotonin. My grandmother takes medication that functions to help her low serotonin levels reuptake. I hope with more research, my grandmother can find a medication that works for her.  

MLA Citation

“What Causes Depression?” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School , 24 June 2019, www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/what-causes-depression.