Five studies, involving 70 male, 133 female, and 6 unknown adults, examine potential determinants of gender differences in helplessness of children by investigating 2 steps in the expectancy confirmation process: gender-based expectations, and proposed differential treatment for inadequate academic performance based on gender. (SLD)

The effects of test performance feedback (contingent, noncontingent, control) and teacher expressiveness (low, high) on student achievement in a simulated college classroom were investigated. Subjects (N=75) wrote an analogies test which provided either contingent or noncontingent performance feedback, after which they viewed a videotaped lecture…

An exploratory study examined the origins of children's motivational patterns in the family by observing 10 helpless and 11 mastery-oriented third graders. Findings are consistent with the hypothesis that mothers of mastery children may socialize their children's achievement motivation. (SLD)

Field observations of and interviews with 13 low-skilled 6th graders in physical education indicated that they all exhibited symptoms of learned helplessness. Students had knowledge of being low-skilled, and they experienced teachers communicating low expectations to them. Students were unwilling to expend effort to learn skills, so they were…

Summarizes research concerning the long-range effects of teachers' controlling strategies and children's motivational orientations on achievement-related behaviors. Evidence suggests that children with an extrinsic motivation toward schoolwork suffer from important deficits that are influenced by teaching strategy. Research findings are discussed…

Presents a case study illustrating learned helplessness orientation in preschool children and how adult responses to a child's successes and failures directly influence a child's perception of his or her abilities. Suggests that teachers should compliment successes by highlighting the ability demonstrated and address failures with comments…

The impact of learning mathematics under successful and unsuccessful cooperative group conditions was studied for 181 seventh graders in Montreal (Quebec) who had a learned-helplessness or mastery-oriented attributional style and different prior mathematics achievement. Learning of helpless and less able students may depend on accomplishments and…

A case study of one female middle school student examined her tendency toward learned helplessness. Observations and interviews with the student and her teachers indicated that she lacked confidence; her belief that she could not change her intellectual and social situation was pervasive. Approaches to intervention are discussed. (SM)

This study of six mainstreamed students (in grades six and eight) with learning disabilities, their parents, and their teachers found considerable confusion and ambiguity concerning the impact of letter grades on students with learning disabilities. Students tended to feel helpless to achieve high grades yet blamed themselves for low grades.…

In mathematics, physics, and chemistry, women are still considered to be at a disadvantage. In the present study, the development of the symptoms of learned helplessness was of particular interest. A study involving average and mildly gifted 8th-grade boys and girls (top 60%) investigated whether girls, regardless of ability level, experience…