Prof. Tayfun Uzbay and Prof. Barış Erdoğan from Üsküdar University have signed off on a remarkable academic study by elevating the theory of “learned helplessness,” one of the important concepts of individual psychology, to a societal level. The article, published in Theory and Society, one of the highly reputable international journals, framed the concept of “collective learned helplessness” within a theoretical framework.
In the article, the concept of “collective learned helplessness” was defined as follows: “It is when broad segments of a society experience chronic loss of motivation, lose belief in the possibility of change, and develop a general state of passivity in response to ongoing or repeated traumatic events.”
Prof. Tayfun Uzbay, Advisor to the President of Üsküdar University and Head of the Department of Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine, and Prof. Barış Erdoğan, Head of the Sociology Department at Üsküdar University, collaborated from two different disciplines to produce a remarkable academic study by elevating the theory of “learned helplessness,” one of the important concepts of individual psychology, to a societal level. The article, published in Theory and Society, one of the highly reputable international journals, framed the concept of “collective learned helplessness” within a theoretical framework.
The research offers a significant explanation, especially regarding why societies today remain increasingly passive in the face of climate crisis, economic inequality, and democracy issues.
An individual theory transformed into a tool for societal explanation
Prof. Tayfun Uzbay stated that the starting point of the article was the concept of “learned helplessness” developed by psychologist Martin Seligman, emphasizing that this concept is not limited to individuals, and said, “Learned helplessness is when individuals stop trying as a result of repeated and uncontrollable negative experiences. A similar process can also emerge in societies exposed to collective traumas.”
In the article, the concept of “collective learned helplessness” is defined as follows:
“It is when broad segments of a society experience chronic loss of motivation, lose belief in the possibility of change, and develop a general state of passivity in response to ongoing or repeated traumatic events.”
The belief that “no matter what we do, nothing will change” is spreading
According to the study, this process is not individual but gains strength through a mechanism spread via social networks.
“Experiences of failure are shared among individuals, spread, and eventually transform into a collective mental framework. Thus, the belief that ‘no matter what we do, nothing will change’ becomes a societal norm,” said Prof. Barış Erdoğan, pointing out that this situation has not only psychological but also sociological and political consequences.
Collective trauma, depression, and helplessness are not the same thing
In the article, a clear distinction was made between three frequently confused concepts, and it continued as follows:
“Collective trauma refers to shocking events experienced by society, such as war, natural disaster, or genocide. Collective depression is the emotional consequences that arise after these traumas, such as widespread hopelessness and pessimism. Collective learned helplessness, on the other hand, is the process of belief in the futility of action and behavioral passivity that results from repeated failures. This passivity can persist even if negative conditions are removed.”
The article emphasized that, in this respect, the concept provides a framework that explains not just a state of emotion but directly inaction.
Emphasis on the similarity between neurons in the brain and society…
In the article, an analogy was drawn between the synaptic connections between neurons in the brain and the interaction between individuals/institutions in society, and it was recalled that the weakening of connections in the brain leads to depression. The article also pointed to the concept of social plasticity, stating, “Social plasticity is society’s ability to adapt to traumas. Education, freedom of expression, and fair legal systems increase societal resilience (social plasticity); while authoritarian regimes and injustice break this resistance, preparing the ground for collective learned helplessness.”
Rebuilding democratic participation plays a critical role in the solution
The article also pointed to solutions, stating the view that “Learned helplessness can be reversed in individuals by taking action and regaining control,” and also indicated that institutional reforms, strengthening transparency and justice, civil society producing concrete achievements, and the rebuilding of democratic participation play a critical role for societal transformation.
The article drew attention to the fact that collective learned helplessness is a powerful tool for explaining societal inertia (inaction) in the face of declining democracies, income inequality, and environmental crises today, emphasizing that this concept needs to be examined more deeply by building a bridge between sociology, psychology, neuroscience, and political science.
