Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Performance deficits following failure: learned helplessness or self-esteem protection?

T Witkowski1, J Stiensmeier-Pelster

  • 1Department of Psychology, Universität Hildesheim, Germany.

The British Journal of Social Psychology
|April 29, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Performance deficits after failure occur only in public settings, supporting self-esteem protection theory over learned helplessness theory. These findings highlight the role of social context in post-failure performance.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Long-term time-course of nocturnal breathing disorders in heart failure patients.

The European respiratory journal·2009
Same author

[Sergei Sergeyevich Korsakov (1854-1900): the scholar, the thinker, the psychiatrist, the humanist].

Revue neurologique·2009
Same author

Alvimopan, a peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist, compared with placebo in postoperative ileus after major abdominal surgery: results of a randomized, double-blind, controlled study.

Surgical endoscopy·2005
Same author

Evaluation of neuromuscular and cardiovascular effects of two doses of rapacuronium (ORG 9487) versus mivacurium and succinylcholine.

Anesthesiology·1999
Same author

Remifentanil versus alfentanil in a balanced anesthetic technique for total abdominal hysterectomy.

Journal of clinical anesthesia·1997
Same author

Efficacy and safety of divided dose administration of mivacurium for a 90-second tracheal intubation.

Journal of clinical anesthesia·1996

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Learned helplessness theory (LHT) posits that repeated failure leads to performance deficits.
  • Self-esteem protection theory (SEPT) suggests individuals avoid threats to their self-esteem, especially in public.
  • Previous research has not clearly differentiated between these explanations in public vs. private settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the predictive power of LHT and SEPT regarding performance deficits after failure.
  • To investigate the moderating role of public vs. private performance conditions on post-failure deficits.

Main Methods:

  • Two laboratory experiments were conducted with secondary school pupils (N=40) and university students (N=45).
  • Participants experienced success or failure, followed by tasks performed either privately or publicly.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Performance was assessed using mathematical problems and Raven's Progressive Matrices.

    • Main Results:

    • Failure in the initial phase led to performance deficits in the subsequent tasks.
    • These deficits were observed exclusively when participants performed the second-phase tasks in public.
    • No significant performance deficits were found when tasks were completed privately after failure.

    Conclusions:

    • The findings support self-esteem protection theory (SEPT) as a more fitting explanation for performance deficits.
    • Results contradict key predictions of learned helplessness theory (LHT).
    • Social context (public vs. private) significantly influences how individuals respond to failure.