What phenomenon describes a state wherein an animal or person learns to accept a negative situation due to perceived lack of control?

The phenomenon that describes a state wherein an animal or person learns to accept a negative situation due to a perceived lack of control is learned helplessness. This concept was first identified through experiments by psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier in the late 1960s. In their studies, dogs that were subjected to uncontrollable electric shocks eventually stopped trying to escape, even when they were given the opportunity, illustrating that they had learned helplessness.

When individuals experience a repeated exposure to stressful or adverse conditions where they feel powerless to change the outcome, they may come to believe that their actions will not result in any change. This learned behavior can lead to a passive acceptance of negative experiences rather than attempting to change them. It has significant implications for understanding various psychological issues, including depression and anxiety, as those who develop this mindset often struggle with feelings of powerlessness in many areas of life.

The other options, while they describe different psychological concepts, do not capture the essence of the acceptance of a negative situation due to a perceived lack of control the way learned helplessness does. Rational-emotive behavior primarily focuses on changing irrational beliefs, neurotic personality refers to a stable pattern of emotional instability, and the inferiority complex relates to a deep-seated sense of