I was asked by the Central Intelligence Agency in the spring of 2002 about how the research on learned helplessness could help captured Americans resist and evade torture and interrogation. There was no discussion of how learned helplessness could be used with detainees nor any mention of the interrogation of detainees. James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen later created a program of “enhanced interrogation” of detainees and it was incorrectly reported that they based it on the theory of learned helplessness. I played no role at all in these developments, and I am grieved that scientific research created to relieve helplessness and depression might have been used for brutal interrogations. The unfounded attacks on me and others, however, may have been intended to discourage young psychologists from working with the Department of Defense, and I urge American Psychological Association not to waver in its long-standing commitment to serve the nation.
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机译：2002年春天，我被中央情报局询问了关于学习无助的研究如何有助于捕获美国人的抵抗和逃避酷刑和审讯。没有讨论学习的无助性如何与被拘留者一起使用，也没有提到被拘留者的审讯。 James Mitchell和Bruce Jessen后来创建了一个“增强审讯”的拘留程序，错误地报道他们基于学习无助的理论。我在这些发展中没有任何作用，我很遗憾地造成的科学研究，以缓解无助和抑郁症可能被用于残酷的审讯。然而，对我和其他人来说，可能旨在阻止年轻的心理学家与国防部合作，我敦促美国的心理学协会在其长期承诺中挥动为国家服务。
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