One of the most common examples of learned helplessness is how Martin Seligman proved learned helplessness. The experiment consisted of a large number of dogs being gathered around to see if they responded to several electric shocks. First the dogs were placed in two boxes that were separated by a wall. Each of the boxes had electrodes in the bottom. Seligman shocked each dog whenever he wanted, ,and when the dogs felt the shock they jumped to the other side. After a time of being on the other box Seligman shocked the dogs again, and they again jumped back to the other box. This same process continued for a very long time. Then Seligman took one dog and placed an electric collar and tied him to a post with a big chain. The dog was given a shock and was not able to escape from it. After a few times the dog learned that he was not able to do anything so he just laid down and cryed until the shock finished. Now this dog had learned to be helpless becasue he knew that he could not anything to stop the pain.