Self-relevant cognition in depression: An examination of problematic cognitive content and process
The purpose of this study was to elucidate the distinctive nature of cognition in depression. Using the distinction between cognitive products and cognitive structures--both comprised of content--and cognitive processes, the study sought to shed light on (a) the distinguishing cognitive content of the depressive self-concept (by demonstrating that a subjective sense of inadequacy is associated with depression), and on (b) the basis of depressives' distinctive cognitive products (by competitively testing three models which provide divergent accounts of depressives' distinctive cognitive products.) According to Beck's theory, depressive cognitive products arise because depressives' cognitive processes are characteristically negative, or self-derogating, whereas nondepressives' are characteristically unbiased. The Self-Deception Deficit Hypothesis claims, by contrast, that nondepressives' cognitive processes are characteristically self-enhancing, whereas depressives' are nonself-enhancing, or unbiased. According to the Self-Schema Model, depressives and nondepressives employ the same cognitive processes--prominently including schematic processing--differing only in the content of the schemas that guide these processes.
Psychology, Social, Psychology, Clinical, Psychology, Personality
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign