explanations for depression Flashcards
(19 cards)
what did beck (1967) use to explain why some people are more vulnerable to depression?
cognitive approach
what did beck (1967) argue caused depression?
cognitive biases (negative thinking) and / or faulty mental processing which develops negative schemas
who argued that faulty mental processing and negative thinking cause depression?
beck (1967)
what is faulty mental processing (cognitive bias)?
quick, irrational, automatic thoughts that are likely to be negative - individuals are prone of they have a negative self schema
input (?) -> faulty processing (?) -> output (?)
life event -> negative thoughts -> behaviour e.g. depression
what are negative self schemas?
a set of beliefs + expectations that are automatic, negative + pessimistic about their world or self
when did beck believe negative self schemas develop?
during a traumatic childhood event - critical parents create a self-critical child with a negative self-schema
what is the negative triad?
negative views about the world
/ \
/ \
negative views about oneself ——— negative views about the future
who proposed the ABC model?
Ellie (1962)
what did Ellis (1962) state?
good mental health is due to rational thinking and that irrational thinking or blaming external events for unhappiness results in poor mental health.
what is rational thinking?
considering a variety of viewpoints to come to a conclusion
what is irrational thinking?
thinking, talking or acting without reasoning prior
what does ABC stand for?
activating event, belief, consequences
what is an activating event in Ellis’ ABC model?
an event that happens in your environment which triggers a belief.
what is a belief in Ellis’ ABC model?
can be irrational or rational - thoughts about a situation
what is a consequence in Ellis’ ABC model?
an emotional + behavioural response to your belief.
Explain the strength of the cognitive explanation for depression having research support.
Lloyd + Lisherman (1975) found that when asking pps to recall pleasant or unpleasant past experiences, those with low level depression responding faster when recalling pleasant memories than those with deeper depression. (depressed people have automatic negative thinking)
Explain the strength for the cognitive explanation of depression being beneficial to patients.
It has been very influential and stimulated huge amounts of research which have contributed to our understanding of the disorder and its treatments.
Explain the weakness of the cognitive explanation of depression being difficult to determine the extent to which irrational thinking caused depression.
it may be that negative thinking is a consequence of depression rather than a cause of it. research into the neurochemistry of depression suggests it may be due to an insufficiency in certain neurotransmitters + drug treatment s are successful for many sufferers.
