Have you heard of the study that led to the discovery of learned helplessness?
In this experiment, a group of dogs were divided and placed into two different rooms. In one room, the dogs were exposed to a series of inescapable electric shocks. In the other room, a second group of dogs also received shocks, but they were given access to a lever that would stop them.
The results were eye-opening. The dogs exposed to the inescapable shocks became passive, failing to try to escape even when later placed in an environment where escape was possible. Many showed signs of anxiety and depression, in contrast to the dogs who had some control over their situation. The researchers coined this behaviour learned helplessness; a condition in which repeated exposure to uncontrollable events leads individuals to believe they have no power to change their outcomes.
Interestingly, the study also pointed to the idea that optimism is a learned trait and something that must be practised and cultivated over time, rather than being purely innate.
Before going further, it’s important to acknowledge the ethical concerns surrounding this research. By today’s standards, the treatment of the animals would be considered unacceptable. One of the lead researchers later ceased working with animals altogether, unable to justify further experimentation given the ethical implications. The other major contributor to the study later proposed to reframe the results, suggesting that the dogs may not have been learning helplessness, but rather failing to learn that stress could be controlled.
Looking at these findings, we see a powerful behavioural response to stress: when we repeatedly experience events that seem out of our control, we may begin to believe that nothing we do makes a difference. This mindset can erode our sense of hope and optimism, reinforcing the importance of fostering the belief that our actions do matter.
We see this in our students who may have a fixed mindset when they encounter challenges or experience failure in their work. It’s can also be seen among staff and colleagues, particularly when they face ongoing stress with no clear path forward. So, how can we develop optimism in a way that helps us move ahead?
The optimists and the pessimists: I have been studying them for the past twenty-five years. The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events will last a long time, will undermine everything they do, and are their own fault. The optimists, who are confronted with the same hard knocks of this world, think about misfortune in the opposite way. They tend to believe defeat is just a temporary setback, that its causes are confined to this one case. The optimists believe defeat is not their fault: Circumstances, bad luck, or other people brought it about. Such people are unfazed by defeat. Confronted by a bad situation, they perceive it as a challenge and try harder.
– Martin E.P. Seligman
According to Martin Seligman’s model of optimism, we can learn to reframe setbacks by shifting our mindset in three key ways:
- External Factors: Recognising that a setback can often be attributed to external factors beyond our control, rather than internal flaws or personal failure. This might include recognising bad luck or unfavourable circumstances.
- Temporary Nature: Viewing setbacks as temporary rather than permanent. This mindset helps us see that challenges can improve over time through effort, support, or changing conditions.
- Specificity: Isolating the issue to a specific event or situation, instead of generalising it across all areas of life. This allows us to understand that one failure doesn’t define our overall ability or potential for success.
Seligman also suggests we can practise a few habits to help build our optimism:
- Reframe negative thoughts: This starts with becoming aware of negative thoughts as they arise, then asking whether they should be challenged. Consider the emotional and behavioural consequences of those thoughts. Do your thoughts reflect pessimism or optimism?
- Practise gratitude: Gratitude, optimism, hope, and life satisfaction have all been found to have a strong connection to our psychological wellbeing. Simple practices such as keeping a gratitude journal or reflecting on one thing you’re grateful for at the end of each day can help boost both wellbeing and optimism.
- Set realistic goals: Setting and achieving realistic goals allows us to experience small wins, which helps reinforce a sense of progress and builds an optimistic outlook for the future.
Ultimately, building optimism isn’t about ignoring challenges, it’s about training our minds to respond to them differently. With small, consistent habits, we can begin to shift our perspective and create space for hope, resilience, and growth.
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