Learned helplessness, causal attribution, and response to frustration

The present study assessed the impact of differential response to frustration, as outlined by Rosenzweig (1944), on cognitive and behavioral reactions to unsolvable problems. Following testing with the Rosenzweig picture frustration (PF) test, subjects were divided into four groups: Intrapunitive, extrapunitive, intrapersistent, and extrapersistent. They then were exposed to conditions of no problems, solvable problems, two unsolvable problems, or four unsolvable problems. Finally, their causal attribution and level of performance on a new solvable task were assessed. Results indicated that following two failures, intrapunitive subjects showed an impairment in performance and intrapersistent subjects showed a facilitation in performance. Following four failures, all subjects, with the exception of the intrapersistent, showed performance deficits. lntrapunitive subjects attributed failure to lack of ability, intrapersistent subjects attributed failure to lack of effort, and extrapersistent and extrapunitive subjects attributed failure to external factors.