Question

No matter how much work Barry does around the house, his wife always calls him lazy. Barry decides that if his wife is going to think he's lazy no matter what he does, then he might as well not put forth any effort. Barry's reaction to his wife's criticism illustrates the:

a) Overjustification effect
b) Learned helplessness
c) Self-serving bias
d) Fundamental attribution error

Answer 1

Barry's choice to cease his efforts around the house in response to his wife's persistent criticism exemplifies learned helplessness, as he feels that his efforts have no impact on her perception of him.

Step-by-step explanation:

Barry's reaction to his wife's criticism illustrates learned helplessness. This concept, initially described by psychologist Martin Seligman, refers to the situation when an individual experiences a lack of control over repeated negative events and consequently stops trying to change their circumstances, believing any effort to be futile. Barry's choice to stop putting effort into his household tasks due to perceived ineffectiveness of his actions typifies this psychological phenomenon. It's not the overjustification effect because his actions aren't being over-rewarded, nor the self-serving bias since he isn't blaming external factors for his own failures, and it isn't the fundamental attribution error because he isn't misattributing the causes of someone else's behavior.