Cognitive Approach

• Beck's Cognitive Theory

  Three components:

  1. Negative cognitive triad
  2. Negative schemas triggered by life events
  3. Cognitive biases
• Supporting research

  • Alloy et al. (1999)

  • Joiner et al. (1996)
• Mindfulness as a potential treatment

  • Based on present-moment awareness without judgment. May help combat rumination and negative thinking patterns
• The cognitive approach highlights the importance of thought patterns in depression, but it's crucial to view this in the context of a broader, multifaceted understanding of the disorder
• Arbitrary inference 

  • Drawing conclusions based on little or no evidence, or even contrary to evidence. Example: Assuming a friend dislikes you because they didn't respond to your text immediately.
• Dichotomous thinking

  Viewing situations in extreme, all-or-nothing terms without considering middle ground. Example: Believing you're either a complete success or a total failure, with no in-between.
• Exaggeration (magnification) 

  • Blowing negative events or qualities out of proportion, making them seem more significant than they are. Example: Thinking a minor mistake at work means you'll definitely be fired
• Overgeneralization

  • Drawing broad conclusions based on a single incident or piece of evidence. Example: Concluding that you're "always unlucky" after one bad day
• 5. Personalization

  • Attributing external events or others' behaviors to oneself without justification. Example: Believing a coworker's bad mood is because of something you did
• Selective abstraction 


  • Focusing on a single negative detail while ignoring other relevant aspects of a situation. Example: Dwelling on one critical comment in an otherwise positive performance review
• Cognitive Approach


  Claims that the way we process and interpret information and life experiences plays role in depression, cogntive factors seem to make us more vulnerable
• Back's theory about negative thinking pattens

  • They are maladaptive schemas or negative schemas
  • Negative thinking pattern causes depression 
  • People may have negative automatic thoughts that is triggered by negative life events, as they are prone to depression and are depressed  
• Cognitive Vulnerability to depression

  Cognitive Vulnerability Model: Negative Thinking + Stress = Depression
• Testability

  • Many studies supporting the theory are correlational or natural experiments (e.g., Alloy and Joiner).
  • Lack of manipulation of negative thinking limits causal conclusions.
  • However, longitudinal, prospective studies suggest a causal link: Example Alloy et al.: 17% with negative thinking patterns developed depression vs. 1% with positive patterns. Confounding Variables: Difficult to control for sociocultural and biological factors
• Domino Causality

  • Negative thinking patterns likely not a direct cause of depression.
  • Possible chain: Genes + experiences → negative thinking + stress → epigenetic changes → depression. This complexity makes it challenging to isolate the role of cognitive factors.
• Application

  1. Practicality - Improved lives:

  • Led to development of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), an empirically supported treatment. Common mistake, Beware of the "successful treatment fallacy" - effective treatment doesn't necessarily reveal the cause.

  1. Enhanced understanding:

  • Clarified the role of negative thinking patterns in depression.
• Operationalization of Concepts

  • Use of standardized questionnaires:
  • Allows for objective comparison and analysis.
  • Checked for validity (measures what it's supposed to) and reliability (consistent results over time). NoteStandardization enhances the scientific rigor of the research.
• Potential Biases

  • Self-reported data may be affected by:

  1. Social desirability bias
  2. Expectancy effects
  3. Cultural bias (e.g., somatization of depression in some cultures)
  4. Age-related factors
• Generalizability

  • Question: Can findings be applied to clinically depressed populations?
  • Limitation: Many studies don't use official diagnoses. Consider how this impacts the theory's applicability in clinical settings.
• Uncertainties

  • The exact cause of depression remains unclear.
  • Depression likely has biopsychosocial roots.
  • The theory fits within a broader biopsychosocial model of depression.
• Cognitive Approach to Depression


  The cognitive approach to depression focuses on how thought patterns and cognitive processes contribute to the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms. This approach is primarily associated with Aaron Beck's cognitive theory of depression.
• Negative Schemas:


  • Dysfunctional beliefs triggered by negative life events
  • Examples: ineptness schema, self-blame schema, negative self-evaluation schema
• Cognitive Biases (Irrational Thinking):


  • Arbitrary inference
  • Dichotomous thinking
  • Exaggeration (magnification)
  • Overgeneralization
  • Personalization
  • Selective abstraction
• Joiner et al. (1996):


  • Study on university students before mid-term exams
  • Findings: Negative thoughts + poor performance led to increased depressive symptoms
• Alloy et al. (1999):


  • Longitudinal study over 6 years
  • Findings: 17% of the negative cognitive group developed depression vs. 1% of the positive cognitive group
• The Negative Cognitive Triad:


  • Negative view of self
  • Negative view of the world
  • Negative view of the future
• Limitations:

  1. Correlational research - causation not established
  2. Bidirectional ambiguity - unclear if negative thinking causes depression or vice versa
  3. Treatment Aetiology Fallacy - success of treatment doesn't necessarily reveal cause
• Strengths:

  1. Supported by longitudinal, prospective research
  2. Some biological support for rumination theory
  3. Led to successful treatments (e.g., CBT)
  4. Helps explain gender differences in depression prevalence