Dogs of the second group received an electric shock, but they did not already have the buttons, which means they could not control the situation.
Dogs of the third group did not receive an electric shock.

![medicine-163707_1280.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmYGSpK4oNtKWNiR6h3Bb81Gx6gGXWvD8h8JTTeN7a1jv6/medicine-163707_1280.jpg)

After a while, all the dogs were placed in a box, where there was a partition through which animals could easily jump. The experimenter started the current to the box: the dogs of the first and third groups jumped the barrage, thereby avoiding an unpleasant blow. But the dogs from the second group, not having experience of control of the situation, remained in place, just lay down and whined, and the intensifying blows did not change their behavior. Thus, being unable to change the situation, the dogs got used to helplessness.

Of course, today you will not be surprised by the learned helplessness, and this concept is often present in the lexicon of many people. However, if you say to someone about conscious optimism, it's easy to see that few are familiar with it. What does it mean?

After experimenting with the dogs, Seligman switched to people using more humane methods. The results obtained led him to the conclusion that a person can quite influence his thinking and, as a consequence, behavior. And this already convinced him that such a skill helps to overcome troubles and problems even with the systematic appearance of them.