This experiment investigated performance on a reasoning task in which the subjects had to say which of four half-hidden cards they needed to see fully in order to determine the truth or falsity of a conditional sentence. (Authors)

Studies in the past have shown that reinforcements independent of the subjects actions may induce a feeling of helplessness. Most experiments on learned helplessness have led researchers to believe that uncontrollability (non-contingency of feedback upon response) was the determining feature of learned helplessness, although in most studies…