COMPETING THEORETICAL ANALYSES OF HELPLESSNESS - A SOCIAL-DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS

Previous research indicates that helplessness deficits following failure feedback do not occur in children less than about 10 years of age since younger children have not yet developed relatively stable concepts of ability. The present study examined the hypothesis that different processes and experiences will produce helplessness deficits in children even younger than 10 years of age. In our study, we predicted that for children of different ages, failure feedback about ability to complete an achievement-related task would produce helplessness for 11 year olds on a generalization task, but not 8 year olds, consistent with previous research. We also predicted that even 8 year olds would experience helplessness when an experience was presented in which they were unable to operate successfully a physical event (in this case, a slide projector). The pattern of data obtained confirms predictions and is discussed in terms of theories relevant to the formation of different processes affecting helplessness in children of different ages. © 1993 by Academic Press, Inc.