An investigator plans to use Seligman's (1975) procedures to study the effects of learned helplessness in rats. Which control group should be included to allow for an unambiguous interpretation of the results?

A) a group of rats that are exposed to a pleasant event instead of an aversive event
B) a group of rats that are put in the same aversive situation, but who are allowed some control over the aversive situation
C) a group of rats that are exposed to the CS but given neither a pleasant nor an aversive stimulus
D) a group of rats that are given some kind of virus that impairs behavioral response time

Question

Minahil Mustafa · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : B, Explanation :  Including a group of rats who are put in the same aversive situation but who have some control over the aversive event will allow for a clear comparison between rats who experience learned helplessness and rats who do not. This control group will make it clear whether it is the aversiveness of the event or lack of control that leads to learned helplessness in the experimental group. The other options (A, C, and D) do not provide a relevant control group.

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