CRI365H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Learned Helplessness, Psychological Adaptation, Rational Agent
8 Aug 2022
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In this lecture, we will be looking at bws as a psychological syndrome, its use in the courts & criticisms of bws testimony. Traditional-legal critics provides too broad a defence. Rational actor sociological critics provides overly limited & inappropriately framed defence. Should be seen as scting entirely rationally. Both instances, objection is to the basic idea of expert psychological testimony identifying impacts of abuse on the inner workings of the mind. Walker"s application of seligman"s concept of learned helplessness. Learned helplessness woman was psychologically paralyzed & believed she could neither leave relationship nor prevent abuse. Cycle of violence would have been able to predict onset & severity of violence not yet occurring. Claims neutralize proposition that she had opportunities & responsibility to quit relationship not reacting to objectively identifiable threat. Learned helplessness is a psychological construct unconscious psychological adaptation to unbearable stress which reduces anxiety in situation where violence cannot be controlled.
