My interest in what makes people fail, originated in my work with emotionally disturbed children overseas. The description of Seligman (1968) dragging dogs about a shuttle-box to prove to them that they could influence their environment, reminded me of having to physically restrain children on occasions to force them to see that they had succeeded at a task. There was a constant cry which seemed to ring through the school of: "How can you know you can't until you try." These children seemed determined to defeat their own efforts.
Reference:
Parkes, V. 1983. The effects of three relaxation training programmes on anxiety and self-concept. University of Cape Town.
Parkes, V. E. (1983). The effects of three relaxation training programmes on anxiety and self-concept. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9948
Parkes, Virginia Eve. "The effects of three relaxation training programmes on anxiety and self-concept." Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 1983. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9948
Parkes VE. The effects of three relaxation training programmes on anxiety and self-concept. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 1983 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9948
