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Abstract
Learned Helplessness
Learning Disabilities
Learning Theories

A theory consists of a set of principles based on observations typically obtained under controlled laboratory conditions. The function of theory is to summarize in a concise fashion observations in a field of study and to enable predictions about future observations in that field. Learning theory is concerned with the variables that produce long-lasting changes in individual behavior and the cumulative effects of those variables acting over time. Although based on laboratory research, often with animals, the principles are intended to apply to all behavior including the behavior of humans.

Learning disabilities (LD) encompass a heterogeneous group of perceptual disorders that impact the development of academic performance is the areas of reading, written language, and mathematics. The most prevalent type of learning disability is a specific reading disability that is commonly referred to as dyslexia, but disorders also exist in written language (dysgraphia) and mathematics (dyscalculia). These disorders are often referred to as “specific” because functioning is only affected in certain, but not all, aspects of academic development and performance. Although LD can co-occur with other disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), these disorders are distinct.

Learned helplessness was discovered when researchers immobilized a dog and exposed it to electric shocks that could neither be avoided nor escaped. Twenty-four hours later, the dog was placed in a situation in which electric shock could be terminated by a simple response. The dog did not make this response; instead, it just sat passively. This behavior was in marked contrast to dogs in a control group that reacted vigorously to the shock and learned to turn it off.

References
Top of page
Abstract
Development of Learning Theory
Modern Learning Theory
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