What Is Learned Helplessness?

Learned Helplessness: Breaking the Chains in Black Communities and Africa. Learned Helplessness  is a psychological concept that describes a state where individuals, after enduring repeated adverse experiences over which they have no control, come to believe that they are powerless to change their circumstances.

 This belief persists even when opportunities for change arise, leading to passivity, resignation, and a lack of initiative. The term was coined by psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier in the 1960s through experiments on animals, where subjects exposed to inescapable shocks failed to escape later when escape was possible. In humans, this manifests as depression, low motivation, and a pessimistic outlook on life.In the context of marginalized groups, learned helplessness often stems from systemic oppression, historical trauma, and cultural narratives that reinforce feelings of inevitability. 

For black people as a collective—encompassing African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and Africans—this phenomenon is deeply intertwined with the legacies of slavery, colonialism, racism, and economic disenfranchisement. It fosters a pessimistic attitude toward entrepreneurship, viewing business ventures as futile in the face of insurmountable barriers. Similarly, in Africa, learned helplessness is exacerbated by religious frameworks that sometimes promote fatalism over agency, turning faith into a crutch rather than a catalyst for action.

Helplessness in Black Communities:

 The history of black people worldwide is marked by centuries of enforced powerlessness. From the transatlantic slave trade, which stripped millions of Africans of their autonomy, to Jim Crow laws in the United States, apartheid in South Africa, and ongoing systemic racism, these experiences have cultivated a collective psyche of learned helplessness. Historical trauma, as defined by researchers, is the cumulative emotional and psychological wounding across generations resulting from massive group trauma

For black communities, this trauma translates into self-fulfilling prophecies where individuals internalize failure as inevitable. Consider the African American experience: slavery not only physically enslaved but also psychologically conditioned people to believe resistance was pointless. Post-emancipation, sharecropping, lynchings, and redlining continued this narrative. A study on the effects of historical trauma highlights how this leads to personal helplessness, where black individuals perceive themselves as incapable due to inherited narratives of defeat

This is compounded by modern issues like mass incarceration and police brutality, which reinforce the idea that systemic forces are uncontrollable.In BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities, learned helplessness arises from repeated trauma where efforts to challenge the status quo fail, leading to resignation

This isn't mere laziness or lack of ambition; it's a conditioned response. Psychologists note that when people face uncontrollable stressors, their brain's prefrontal cortex—responsible for planning and decision-making—becomes impaired, while the amygdala, linked to fear, over activates. Over time, this neurological shift makes proactive behavior seem impossible.

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 Extending this to global black diasporas, similar patterns emerge in the Caribbean and Europe, where colonial legacies and immigration challenges perpetuate the cycle. A thesis on learned helplessness in the African American community explores how this affects education, health, and social mobility

Children growing up in environments where parents express defeatist attitudes absorb these beliefs, creating intergenerational transmission.

Pessimistic Attitudes Toward Entrepreneurship in Black Communities

Entrepreneurship requires risk-taking, innovation, and optimism—qualities eroded by learned helplessness. In black communities, pessimism toward starting businesses stems from perceived and real barriers: lack of access to capital, discriminatory lending practices, and networks dominated by non-black elites. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, black-owned businesses represent only about 2.4% of all U.S. firms, despite black people comprising 13.6% of the population. This disparity isn't just economic; it's psychological.Research on psychological barriers to economic mobility identifies learned helplessness as a key factor

Individuals with this mindset exhibit long-term thinking deficits, focusing on survival rather than growth. For instance, a black entrepreneur might avoid seeking loans after hearing stories of denial, assuming "the system is rigged." This self-sabotage is evident in lower startup rates and higher failure rates among black businesses, often attributed to undercapitalization but rooted in deeper resignation.In a Medium article, the author discusses unlearning helplessness in Black America, emphasizing that breaking free involves recognizing expandable possibilities rather than abandonment. Yet, pessimism persists.

 Surveys show black youth often view entrepreneurship as "for others," influenced by media portrayals of black success as exceptional rather than normative. This attitude is reinforced by failures in role models; when prominent black businesses falter due to external pressures, it confirms the narrative of inevitability.

Case studies abound. In Detroit, a hub of black entrepreneurship, many ventures struggle due to economic downturns post-2008 recession, leading to community-wide discouragement. Similarly, in the UK, black entrepreneurs face "ethnic penalties" in funding, fostering helplessness. Psychologically, this manifests as imposter syndrome or avoidance, where potential founders opt for stable but low-paying jobs instead. To illustrate, consider the story of a hypothetical young black woman in Chicago. Raised in a family where her parents worked multiple jobs yet remained poor, she witnesses repeated rejections—job applications ignored, loans denied. She internalizes that effort doesn't pay off, so when an idea for a beauty startup emerges, she dismisses it as "too risky" or "not for people like me." This is learned helplessness in action, turning potential economic engines into stagnant pools.

Expanding this, in global contexts like Nigeria or South Africa, black entrepreneurs face corruption, infrastructure deficits, and political instability, amplifying pessimism. A YouTube discussion on learned helplessness in Nigeria notes phrases like "E go better" (It will be better) as signs of passive hope without action.

This cultural resignation hinders entrepreneurial spirit, with many preferring government jobs over business risks. 

Africa's Learned Helplessness in the Context of Religion

Shifting focus to the African continent, learned helplessness takes on a unique dimension through religion. Africa is one of the most religious regions globally, with Christianity and Islam dominating, alongside indigenous beliefs. While religion can provide solace and community, it sometimes fosters fatalism—a belief that outcomes are predestined by divine will, reducing personal agency.

Colonialism played a pivotal role. European powers imposed Christianity as a tool of control, teaching submission to authority as godly. Post-independence, this evolved into a reliance on prayer over policy. A Facebook discussion questions why Africans ask God to do what they can do themselves, labeling it learned helplessness.

This is evident in responses to crises: during famines or conflicts, communities turn to prayer vigils rather than advocacy or innovation.Research on culturally learned helplessness links it to economic underdevelopment

In sub-Saharan Africa, where poverty rates hover around 40%, religion often frames suffering as a test of faith, discouraging rebellion against unjust systems. For example, in Nigeria, amid insecurity from Boko Haram and banditry, citizens exhibit learned helplessness, no longer trying to change reality due to repeated failures

Religious coping mechanisms can lead to hopelessness

When prayers go unanswered, it reinforces powerlessness. In mental health, a study on African Americans (applicable to Africans) shows religion influencing help-seeking, with feelings of helplessness limiting action. Young Africans facing climate change frame helplessness religiously, seeing it as divine will rather than human-caused, masking political and economic deficits

In Islamic contexts, learned helplessness is discussed as a choice, with calls to overcome it through faith-inspired action. Yet, misinterpretations of concepts like "qadr" (fate) promote passivity. In Christian-majority areas like Kenya or Uganda, prosperity gospels promise wealth through faith alone, but when unfulfilled, they breed despair. This religious lens intersects with entrepreneurship. In Africa, where 60% of the population is under 25, youth unemployment fuels helplessness. Religious leaders often advise patience over enterprise, viewing business risks as tempting fate. This perpetuates underdevelopment, with Africa's GDP growth lagging despite resources.Examples include Zimbabwe, where hyperinflation and corruption lead to religious escapism, or Ethiopia, where famine histories tie into fatalistic beliefs. Overall, religion in Africa, while a source of resilience, can entrench learned helplessness by shifting responsibility from humans to the divine.

Three Possible Solutions and Future Implementation

To combat learned helplessness, targeted interventions are essential. Here are three solutions, with implementation strategies for the future.

1. Education and Awareness Campaigns on Psychological Resilience Solution:

 Implement widespread education programs to teach about learned helplessness, its origins, and strategies to overcome it, emphasizing resilience-building techniques like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) adaptations.

Implementation: By 2030, integrate modules into school curricula across black-majority regions, from U.S. inner-city schools to African universities. Partner with NGOs like the NAACP or African Union to launch online platforms and community workshops. Use media campaigns featuring success stories to reframe narratives. Governments could fund mental health initiatives, training 1 million facilitators by 2040. Metrics: Track reduced depression rates and increased self-efficacy via surveys.

2. Entrepreneurship Mentorship and Access Programs Solution: 

Create mentorship networks and funding mechanisms tailored to black entrepreneurs, countering pessimism with tangible support and success models.Implementation: Establish global incubators like "Black Innovation Hubs" in cities like Atlanta, Lagos, and Johannesburg by 2025. Provide microloans with low barriers, backed by international donors. Mentorship from successful black figures, using AI matching apps. Scale to reach 10 million participants by 2035, with government incentives like tax breaks. Evaluate via startup survival rates and economic impact studies.

3. Reforming Religious Teachings to Promote Agency Solution:

 Encourage progressive interpretations of religion that balance faith with action, reducing fatalism.

Implementation: Convene interfaith dialogues starting in 2026, involving leaders from Christianity, Islam, and traditional religions. Develop curricula for seminaries emphasizing empowerment scriptures (e.g., "God helps those who help themselves"). Community programs blending prayer with skill-building workshops. By 2040, aim for 50% of religious institutions adopting these, measured by congregant attitude shifts. Collaborate with organizations like the World Council of Churches.These solutions, if implemented collaboratively, can transform learned helplessness into learned optimism.

In conclusion: A Poetic Reflection from Italo Calvin in the spirit of overcoming despair, we turn to the words of Italo Calvino, whose prose often carried poetic depth on human conditions. His reflections in "Invisible Cities" offer a profound, poem-like meditation on escaping infernal cycles of resignation:

"The inferno of the living is not something that will be; if there is one, it is what is already here, the inferno where we live every day, that we form by being together.

 There are two ways to escape suffering it. The first is easy for many: accept the inferno and become such a part of it that you can no longer see it. The second is risky and demands constant vigilance and apprehension: seek and learn to recognize who and what, in the midst of the inferno, are not inferno, then make them endure, give them space."

This passage, poetic in its essence, urges us to reject passive acceptance and actively cultivate spaces of hope— a fitting call to action against learned helplessness.

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Author

Campbell Kitts