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One of the factors complicating the study of human behavior is the tendency for different individuals to respond to similar situations in a variety of ways.

Thus, although, a common response to frustration is active aggressive, another response is its opposite-apathy, indifference, withdrawal. We do not know why one person reacts with aggression and another with apathy to the same situation but, it seems likely that learning is an important factor reactions to frustration can be learned in much the same manner as other behaviors.

Children who strike out angrily when frustrated and find that their needs are then satisfied (either through their own efforts or because, a parent rushes to placate them) will probably resort to the same behavior the next time their motives are thwarted. Children whose aggressive outbursts are never successful, who find they have no power to satisfy their needs by means of their own actions, may well resort to apathy and withdrawal when confronted with a frustrating situation.

a. Learned Helplessness:

Studies with animals have demonstrated a reaction that has been called “learned helplessness”. A dog laced in a shuttle box (an apparatus with two compartments separated by a barrier) quickly learns to jump to the opposite compartment to escape an electric shock delivered to its feet through a grid on the floor. If a light is turned on a few seconds before the grid is electrified, the dog can learn to avoid the shock entirely by jumping to the safe compartment on signal.

However, if the dog has previously been placed in a situation where shocks are unavoidable and inescapable where nothing does terminate the shock then, it has great difficulty learning the avoidance response when appropriate.

The animal simply sits and takes the shock, even though an easy jump to the opposite compartment would eliminate the discomfort. Some dogs never learn, even, if the experimenter demonstrates the proper procedure by carrying them over the barrier. The dogs had previously learned that they were helpless to avoid the shock, and this learned helplessness was very difficult to overcome (Seligman, 1975).

b. Experiences of Prisoners of War:

Studies of inmates in concentration or prisoner-of-war camps indicate that many prisoners develop attitudes of detachment and extreme indifference in the face of continual deprivation, torture, and threats of death. In fact, apathy may be a “normal” reaction to frustrating conditions of long duration from which there is no hope of escape.

Interviews with American servicemen released from prison camps after the Korean War showed that almost all experienced, at some time during their imprisonment, a period characterized by listlessness, indifference to the immediate situation, and total lack of emotion. Since, these men could respond appropriately when spoken to, and since, their speech and behavior did not suggest psychosis, the reaction has been described as apathy.

The most severe of such “apathy reactions” frequently resulted in death Two remedies seemed capable of saving the man close to death; getting him on his feet and doing something, no matter how trivial, and getting him interested in some current or future problem. Usually, the efforts and support of a friend helped the individual to snap out of a state of apathy (Stassman, Thaler, and Schein, 1956).

Concern over the reactions of American prisoners during the Korean War led the military to develop programs aimed at preparing servicemen to cope with the frustrations of imprisonment. Although, detailed studies of American prisoners returned from Vietnam have yet to be released, reports indicate that the programs were successful.

Knowing how to keep physically and mentally active (e.g., by following a daily schedule that included calisthenics and classes taught by fellow prisoners) and how to organize themselves so as to delegate responsibility, provide mutual support, and plan for emergencies apparently did much to help the soldiers combat apathy and feelings of helplessness. These men, on the whole, returned from imprisonment in much better condition than did the U.S. Korean War prisoners who had not been taught explicit methods for coping.