PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN: PART II – SELF-ATTRIBUTION, COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS AND DEPRESSION
November 13, 2009 - 3:06 pm
Thesigan Nadarajan asked:
Cognitive Distortions
What is the difference between Mrs. A‘s response according to first and second combination of cognitive perceptions of self-attribution? Why did in the first combination of cognitive perceptions of self-attribution, Mrs. A attributed and compounded all blame to herself (internal)? But why in the second combination of cognitive perceptions of self-attribution, Mrs. A attributed it to Ms. B and Mr. A (external)? The answer lies in what is called “cognitive distortions” (Beck, 1967). What are cognitive distortions? And what are the types of cognitive distortions found in depressed persons?
Errors in reasoning.
Cognitive distortions are basically “errors in reasoning” (Beck, 1967). Were there errors in reasoning in the first combination of cognitive perceptions of self-attribution? The answer is an emphatic, yes! In fact, there were several errors in reasoning in the first combination of cognitive perceptions of self-attribution. Firstly, Mrs. A’s self blame was erroneous, as the blame should be on Mr. A and Ms. B. Secondly, Mrs. A’s subjective view of her physical and sexual deficits were erroneous, as the physical and sexual deficit could be alterable (unstable), untrue or unjustifiable. There could many other reasons why Mr. A was attracted to having an affair with Ms. B. Thirdly, basing on the erroneous view of her physical and sexual deficits, to attribute Mr. A’s infidelity as naturally predictable (uncontrollable) is erroneous. The third reasoning is erroneous because it based on the second reasoning which is erroneous. The third reasoning is also erroneous because Mr. A is individually, cognitively, morally and lawfully responsible for his decisions and actions. Are there other forms of cognitive distortions? Yes, there are, as will be discussed in the types of cognitive distortions.
Types of cognitive distortions.
Sharf (2000) gives a list of other forms of cognitive distortions that depressed persons may experience and display. Here are descriptive examples of them.
1. Dichotomous thinking
Example: My husband must love me a hundred percent, or else he doesn’t love me.
Problem: Thinking in absolutes, black or white and with no provision for grey areas in life. Every thing is either positive or negative, which is totally unrealistic perspective of life.
Solution: The promotion of thinking in a synthesis form that includes black, white and grey, would assist the person with realistic thinking. For in life not everything is in absolutes.
2. Selective abstractions
Example: My boyfriend failed me this year, because out of fifteen years of celebrating my birthday grandly, he forgot to get my favorite wine brand in this year.
Problem: A person with this distortion would extract one item, fact, event and behavior from a group of items, facts, events or behaviors to amplify and use it to initiate, create precedence or justify their decision or action.
Solution: Promotion of thinking telescopically (big picture) before micro-scoping (details) in the examination of facts, events or behaviors, would paint a more holistic picture in life.
3. Arbitrary inferences involve two types of erroneous thinking, namely, “mind reading” and “negative prediction”.
For mind reading
Example: My lover doesn’t love me anymore because she didn’t smile at me today.
Problem: This type of thinking involves the assumption of another person’s thinking, action, or behavior, and treating that assumption as a proven fact and basing one’s thinking, decision, action and behavior on the assumed fact.
Solution: The consideration of alternatives, other concrete and realistic facts besides the sensory perceptions or emotional displays of a person would assist in a better evaluation of someone’s thinking, action, or behavior.
For negative prediction
Example: A woman while making love passionately to her husband thinks, my husband is going to leave me.
Problem: This type of thinking involves prediction of conclusions, outcomes or results with no provision for tentativeness. The prediction is considered an absolute certainty.
Solution: Persons with this cognitive distortion should be assisted to include tentative predictions rather than absolute predictive conclusions. As long as something is predictive, there can’t be absolute certainty of outcome.
4. Catastrophizing
Example: I don’t know how to dance. My boyfriend is going to dump me.
Problem: This type of thinking paints the worst scenario from the most trivial events, matters, actions or behaviors. It can turn a quarrel into a war.
Solution: Persons with these cognitive distortions should be taught to consider the details of their worries within the context of the issue at hand. If it is a quarrel, then it is not a war.
5. Overgeneralization
Example: Since I am a bad at grilling fish, all my other dishes in are going to be a fiasco.
Problem: This type of cognitive distortions uses past actions, behaviors or events, to predict similar future actions, behavior or events without collaborative evidence.
Solutions: Persons with these cognitive distortions should be taught to learn from the past actions, behaviors or events, to improve the future actions, behaviors or events, and not expect the future to repeat the past.
6. Labeling and mislabeling
Example: I am a ***** because during my drunkenness, I made a pass at my best friend’s boyfriend.
Problem: This type of cognitive distortions that labels oneself or others rather than the inappropriate actions, behaviors or events. It mixes the actions with the person. The drunkard behavior may be bitchy but that doesn’t make the woman a *****.
Solution: Persons with these cognitive distortions should be taught to label the inappropriate actions, behaviors or events, and not the persons.
7. Magnification or minimization
Example: I didn’t kiss my husband today; my love life is going to ****. My husband held me tightly and whispered his passionate love for me, but I feel that it is not as romantic as when it happened on our first date.
Problem: This type of cognitive distortions views the positive actions, behaviors or events as trivial, while viewing the negative as catastrophic.
Solutions: Persons with these cognitive distortions should be taught to view actions, behaviors or events in their perspective, without changing filters to suit their emotions.
8. Personalization
Example: It rains whenever my boyfriend asks me for a date. I am always the cause of delays in any of our trips
Problem: This type of cognitive distortions personalizes an external negative actions, behaviors or events to oneself without a reason.
Solutions: Persons with these cognitive distortions should be taught to accept what are truly their responsibilities and reject what are not their responsibilities.
Too frequent display any of the above cognitive distortions is an indicator of psychological distress that may lead to disorders (Sharf, 2000). Thus, it is wise to examine our pattern of thinking for cognitive distortions, especially during bouts of depression. So how can a person avoid these pitfalls between negative self-attribution, cognitive distortions and depression? One suggestion is the practice of positive self-attribution as outlined below.
Positive Self-Attribution
In practicing positive self-attribution for the avoidance of long term and chronic depressions are as follows:
Why deliberately and conscientiously? The reason is because sometimes cognitive distortions are so automatic, that one is unaware of its happening. Always (if needing to attribute) attribute the positive behaviors or events (self or others) internally (to self). It leads to positive emotions (Working Resources, 1996-2009). Why, it is stated as “if needing to attribute”, the reason being sometimes, self attribution is not needed at all. For an example, when someone else does well or is successful, the credit should go to that person.
Always avoid attributing negative events or behaviors (self or others) internally (to self), or never consider the cause(s) of the negative events or behaviors as unalterable (stability), or as inevitable (uncontrollable), – instead always look for options, alternatives, possible solutions or answers. What if an authority or an expert (i.e., a judge in a legal context) pronounces that you (internal) are responsible for a negative event or behavior? When negative events or behaviors (self or others) have been seemingly proven and attributed by an authority or an expert; then the following would be the suggestion.
4. When a person have been attributed with a negative event or behavior (self or others), which has been proven, and when a justified penalty (as in legal cases) has been imposed, that penalty can then be accepted as a form of correction, atonement, compensation, or as an opportunity to make things right. Acceptance of a just penalty rather avoidance through an erroneous attribution, would lessen any depression felt by a person affected by the penalty. The reason being, this form of acceptance of a just penalty is psychologically a forgiveness of oneself or self-forgiveness (Wohl & Thompson, 2006).
Conclusion
Avoid Negative Self-Attribution, Monitor for Cognitive Distortions
Practice Positive Self-Attributions
For a Physical and Psychological Wellbeing
————————————————————————————–
REFERENCES
Abramson, L.Y., Alloy, I.B. & Metalsky, J.I. (1995). Hopelessness depression. In J.N. Buchanan & M.E.P. Seligman (Eds.), Explanatory style (pp. 113-134). Hillsdale, NJ: Erbaum.
Beck, A. T. (1967). Depression: Clinical, Experimental, and theoretical aspects. New York: Hoeber.
Evans, R., & Tait, L.H. (1991). Applying Psychology in Today’s World: Strategies for Personal Growth, Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632.
Heider, F. (1958). The psychology of interpersonal relations. New York: Wiley.Jones, E. F., & Davies, K. (1965). From acts to dispositions: The attribution process in person perceptions. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.) Advances in experimental Social Psychology, (Vol. 2). New York: Academic Press.
Kelley, H.H. (1967). The warm-cold dimensions in first impressions of persons. Journal of Personality, 18, 431-439.
Riso, L. P., du Toit, P.L., Blandino, J.A., Penna, S., Dacey, S., Duin, J. S., Pacoe, E.M., Grant, M.M.., & Ulmer, C.S. (2003). Cognitive aspects of chronic depression. Journal of abnormal Psychology, 112(1), 72-80.
Sharf, R. S. (2000). Theories of Psychotherapy & Counseling: Concepts and Cases, (2nd Ed.). Wadsworth. Brooks/Cole Counseling: Belmont, CA 94002-3098, United States.
Weiten, W., & Lloyd, M. A. (2006). Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st Century, Thomson Wadsworth: Canada.
Wohl, M. J. A., & Thompson, A. (2006). Hindering the process of behavioural change: The relationship between self-forgiveness and smoking cessation. Unpublished manuscript, Carleton University.
Working Resources (1996-2009). The Art of Positive Emotions: What Is Your Attribution Style? Retrieved October 22, 2009, from Working Resources website: http://dwp.bigplanet.com/workingresources/professionaleffectivenessarticles/article.nhtml?uid=10005
Cognitive Distortions
What is the difference between Mrs. A‘s response according to first and second combination of cognitive perceptions of self-attribution? Why did in the first combination of cognitive perceptions of self-attribution, Mrs. A attributed and compounded all blame to herself (internal)? But why in the second combination of cognitive perceptions of self-attribution, Mrs. A attributed it to Ms. B and Mr. A (external)? The answer lies in what is called “cognitive distortions” (Beck, 1967). What are cognitive distortions? And what are the types of cognitive distortions found in depressed persons?
Errors in reasoning.
Cognitive distortions are basically “errors in reasoning” (Beck, 1967). Were there errors in reasoning in the first combination of cognitive perceptions of self-attribution? The answer is an emphatic, yes! In fact, there were several errors in reasoning in the first combination of cognitive perceptions of self-attribution. Firstly, Mrs. A’s self blame was erroneous, as the blame should be on Mr. A and Ms. B. Secondly, Mrs. A’s subjective view of her physical and sexual deficits were erroneous, as the physical and sexual deficit could be alterable (unstable), untrue or unjustifiable. There could many other reasons why Mr. A was attracted to having an affair with Ms. B. Thirdly, basing on the erroneous view of her physical and sexual deficits, to attribute Mr. A’s infidelity as naturally predictable (uncontrollable) is erroneous. The third reasoning is erroneous because it based on the second reasoning which is erroneous. The third reasoning is also erroneous because Mr. A is individually, cognitively, morally and lawfully responsible for his decisions and actions. Are there other forms of cognitive distortions? Yes, there are, as will be discussed in the types of cognitive distortions.
Types of cognitive distortions.
Sharf (2000) gives a list of other forms of cognitive distortions that depressed persons may experience and display. Here are descriptive examples of them.
1. Dichotomous thinking
Example: My husband must love me a hundred percent, or else he doesn’t love me.
Problem: Thinking in absolutes, black or white and with no provision for grey areas in life. Every thing is either positive or negative, which is totally unrealistic perspective of life.
Solution: The promotion of thinking in a synthesis form that includes black, white and grey, would assist the person with realistic thinking. For in life not everything is in absolutes.
2. Selective abstractions
Example: My boyfriend failed me this year, because out of fifteen years of celebrating my birthday grandly, he forgot to get my favorite wine brand in this year.
Problem: A person with this distortion would extract one item, fact, event and behavior from a group of items, facts, events or behaviors to amplify and use it to initiate, create precedence or justify their decision or action.
Solution: Promotion of thinking telescopically (big picture) before micro-scoping (details) in the examination of facts, events or behaviors, would paint a more holistic picture in life.
3. Arbitrary inferences involve two types of erroneous thinking, namely, “mind reading” and “negative prediction”.
For mind reading
Example: My lover doesn’t love me anymore because she didn’t smile at me today.
Problem: This type of thinking involves the assumption of another person’s thinking, action, or behavior, and treating that assumption as a proven fact and basing one’s thinking, decision, action and behavior on the assumed fact.
Solution: The consideration of alternatives, other concrete and realistic facts besides the sensory perceptions or emotional displays of a person would assist in a better evaluation of someone’s thinking, action, or behavior.
For negative prediction
Example: A woman while making love passionately to her husband thinks, my husband is going to leave me.
Problem: This type of thinking involves prediction of conclusions, outcomes or results with no provision for tentativeness. The prediction is considered an absolute certainty.
Solution: Persons with this cognitive distortion should be assisted to include tentative predictions rather than absolute predictive conclusions. As long as something is predictive, there can’t be absolute certainty of outcome.
4. Catastrophizing
Example: I don’t know how to dance. My boyfriend is going to dump me.
Problem: This type of thinking paints the worst scenario from the most trivial events, matters, actions or behaviors. It can turn a quarrel into a war.
Solution: Persons with these cognitive distortions should be taught to consider the details of their worries within the context of the issue at hand. If it is a quarrel, then it is not a war.
5. Overgeneralization
Example: Since I am a bad at grilling fish, all my other dishes in are going to be a fiasco.
Problem: This type of cognitive distortions uses past actions, behaviors or events, to predict similar future actions, behavior or events without collaborative evidence.
Solutions: Persons with these cognitive distortions should be taught to learn from the past actions, behaviors or events, to improve the future actions, behaviors or events, and not expect the future to repeat the past.
6. Labeling and mislabeling
Example: I am a ***** because during my drunkenness, I made a pass at my best friend’s boyfriend.
Problem: This type of cognitive distortions that labels oneself or others rather than the inappropriate actions, behaviors or events. It mixes the actions with the person. The drunkard behavior may be bitchy but that doesn’t make the woman a *****.
Solution: Persons with these cognitive distortions should be taught to label the inappropriate actions, behaviors or events, and not the persons.
7. Magnification or minimization
Example: I didn’t kiss my husband today; my love life is going to ****. My husband held me tightly and whispered his passionate love for me, but I feel that it is not as romantic as when it happened on our first date.
Problem: This type of cognitive distortions views the positive actions, behaviors or events as trivial, while viewing the negative as catastrophic.
Solutions: Persons with these cognitive distortions should be taught to view actions, behaviors or events in their perspective, without changing filters to suit their emotions.
8. Personalization
Example: It rains whenever my boyfriend asks me for a date. I am always the cause of delays in any of our trips
Problem: This type of cognitive distortions personalizes an external negative actions, behaviors or events to oneself without a reason.
Solutions: Persons with these cognitive distortions should be taught to accept what are truly their responsibilities and reject what are not their responsibilities.
Too frequent display any of the above cognitive distortions is an indicator of psychological distress that may lead to disorders (Sharf, 2000). Thus, it is wise to examine our pattern of thinking for cognitive distortions, especially during bouts of depression. So how can a person avoid these pitfalls between negative self-attribution, cognitive distortions and depression? One suggestion is the practice of positive self-attribution as outlined below.
Positive Self-Attribution
In practicing positive self-attribution for the avoidance of long term and chronic depressions are as follows:
Why deliberately and conscientiously? The reason is because sometimes cognitive distortions are so automatic, that one is unaware of its happening. Always (if needing to attribute) attribute the positive behaviors or events (self or others) internally (to self). It leads to positive emotions (Working Resources, 1996-2009). Why, it is stated as “if needing to attribute”, the reason being sometimes, self attribution is not needed at all. For an example, when someone else does well or is successful, the credit should go to that person.
Always avoid attributing negative events or behaviors (self or others) internally (to self), or never consider the cause(s) of the negative events or behaviors as unalterable (stability), or as inevitable (uncontrollable), – instead always look for options, alternatives, possible solutions or answers. What if an authority or an expert (i.e., a judge in a legal context) pronounces that you (internal) are responsible for a negative event or behavior? When negative events or behaviors (self or others) have been seemingly proven and attributed by an authority or an expert; then the following would be the suggestion.
4. When a person have been attributed with a negative event or behavior (self or others), which has been proven, and when a justified penalty (as in legal cases) has been imposed, that penalty can then be accepted as a form of correction, atonement, compensation, or as an opportunity to make things right. Acceptance of a just penalty rather avoidance through an erroneous attribution, would lessen any depression felt by a person affected by the penalty. The reason being, this form of acceptance of a just penalty is psychologically a forgiveness of oneself or self-forgiveness (Wohl & Thompson, 2006).
Conclusion
Avoid Negative Self-Attribution, Monitor for Cognitive Distortions
Practice Positive Self-Attributions
For a Physical and Psychological Wellbeing
————————————————————————————–
REFERENCES
Abramson, L.Y., Alloy, I.B. & Metalsky, J.I. (1995). Hopelessness depression. In J.N. Buchanan & M.E.P. Seligman (Eds.), Explanatory style (pp. 113-134). Hillsdale, NJ: Erbaum.
Beck, A. T. (1967). Depression: Clinical, Experimental, and theoretical aspects. New York: Hoeber.
Evans, R., & Tait, L.H. (1991). Applying Psychology in Today’s World: Strategies for Personal Growth, Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632.
Heider, F. (1958). The psychology of interpersonal relations. New York: Wiley.Jones, E. F., & Davies, K. (1965). From acts to dispositions: The attribution process in person perceptions. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.) Advances in experimental Social Psychology, (Vol. 2). New York: Academic Press.
Kelley, H.H. (1967). The warm-cold dimensions in first impressions of persons. Journal of Personality, 18, 431-439.
Riso, L. P., du Toit, P.L., Blandino, J.A., Penna, S., Dacey, S., Duin, J. S., Pacoe, E.M., Grant, M.M.., & Ulmer, C.S. (2003). Cognitive aspects of chronic depression. Journal of abnormal Psychology, 112(1), 72-80.
Sharf, R. S. (2000). Theories of Psychotherapy & Counseling: Concepts and Cases, (2nd Ed.). Wadsworth. Brooks/Cole Counseling: Belmont, CA 94002-3098, United States.
Weiten, W., & Lloyd, M. A. (2006). Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st Century, Thomson Wadsworth: Canada.
Wohl, M. J. A., & Thompson, A. (2006). Hindering the process of behavioural change: The relationship between self-forgiveness and smoking cessation. Unpublished manuscript, Carleton University.
Working Resources (1996-2009). The Art of Positive Emotions: What Is Your Attribution Style? Retrieved October 22, 2009, from Working Resources website: http://dwp.bigplanet.com/workingresources/professionaleffectivenessarticles/article.nhtml?uid=10005