Cognitive Explanations Of Depression Flashcards
Beck’s cognitive theory of depression- Faulty information processing
Beck (1967)
Some people are more vulnerable to depression because of flawed ways of thinking (faulty information processing)
Depressed people will focus on the negative aspects of a situation and fail to acknowledge any positive aspects. They also have a tendency to blow small problems out of proportion and see the world in absolutist (black and white) terms.
Beck’s cognitive theory of depression - negative self-schema
Schemas = packages of ideas and info to interpret the world, developed through experience
Self-schemas = these same ‘packages’ - but in relation to information about ourselves
So, if someone has negative self-schema - they interpret all information about themselves in a negative way
Beck’s cognitive theory of depression - The negative triad
Negative views of the world -
E.g. ‘The world is a cold and terrible place’
Negative view of the future -
E.g. ‘things will never get better’
Negative view of the self -
E.g. ‘I am a complete failure’
Ellis’s ABC model
Ellis suggested that depression arises from irrational thoughts.
A - Activating event
Negative events begin the process - such as losing a job or ending a relationship
B - Beliefs
These negative events trigger irrational beliefs.
‘musterbation’ - the belief that we must always succeed
‘I-can’t-stand-it-itis’ - the belief that it is an absolute disaster if things don’t go as planned
‘Utopianism’ - a belief that the world must always be fair and just
C - consequence
When an activating event triggers irrational beliefs - there will be emotional/behavioural consequences.
E.g. if you experience ‘musterbation’, and then you fail at something, the consequence will be depression.
✅AO3 - Beck’s theory has good supporting evidence
Grazioli and Terry (2000)
Assessed cognitive vulnerability for depression in 65 pregnant women before and after birth.
Women who had been assessed to have had high cognitive vulnerability were more likely to suffer post-natal depression.
The fact that these vulnerabilities and cognitions could be seen before depression develops supports Beck’s theory that cognition causes depression.
✅AO3 - Beck’s theory has practical application (CBT)
Beck’s cognitive theory formed the basis for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
CBT aims to directly identify and challenge the elements of the negative triad. A patient can confront the aspects of their negative triad and test whether or not they are true.
The effectiveness of CBT is a strength of Beck’s explanation - as it shows that the theory must have some credibility since it translates into a successful therapy.
❌AO3- Becks theory doesn’t explain all aspects of depression
Beck’s theory doesn’t account for some of the more complex aspects of depression - such as the deep anger that some depressives experience.
Some patients also experience hallucinations, bizarre beliefs, or suffer from ‘Cotard syndrome’ - the belief that they are already dead, do not exist, and are putrefying (decomposing).
This is a weakness of Beck’s theory - as it doesn’t explain all cases of depression - only the most common ones.
❌AO3- Ellis’s ABC model is a partial explanation
SOME cases of depression undoubtedly occur following an activating event.
This is widely known as reactive depression - and is seen as a separate condition to depression that arises without an obvious activation or cause.
This is a weakness, as Ellis’s ABC model can only explain reactive depression.
❌AO3- cognitive aspects may not cause all aspects of depression
Cognitive explanations rely on the assumption of cognitive primacy - the idea that emotions are influenced by your cognitions.
This may be true in some cases, however other theories see emotions such as anxiety and distress as being stored like physical energy is, to emerge after the activating event.
This means there is doubt around the idea that cognitions are the root of depression - suggests that cognitive theories don’t explain all aspects of the disorder.
