The Effects of Stability of Uncontrollability Experiences on Cognitive Exhaustion

Abstract

The present study investigates whether stability of the uncontrollability experience is an important factor in causing cognitive exhaustion syndrome. In the first phase, participants experienced different types of deprivation of personal control in terms of trying to find a solution to solvable and unsolvable tasks based on the procedure of Informational Helplessness Training. The Linear Orders Task was used to evaluate the efficiency of generative reasoning. The results revealed the greatest deficits in the group with random uncontrollability experience, with the first solvable and the last unsolvable task. Mechanisms underlying the effects of various uncontrollability experiences on cognitive exhaustion are discussed.