ISSN:
1573-2819
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Psychology
Notes:
Abstract The present research investigated the extent to which a negative self-based consensus bias is evident in depressives' processing of personal and social information. In Experiment 1 depressed and nondepressed subjects estimated both the frequency of occurrence of two negative situations (failing at school, breaking off a relationship) and a depressive response to each situation, in the population at large. In line with a negative self-based consensus bias, depressives provided overestimates for the occurrence of one of the negative situations, and a depressive response to both situations, compared to nondepressives. Experiment 2 tested the boundary conditions associated with this bias by having other depressed and nondepressed subjects provide frequency of occurrence estimates for positive scenarios. Each scenario involved a positive situation (doing well at school, starting a relationship) and an elation-type response to this situation While depressives and nondepressives did not differ in their estimates for general occurrence of the situations, there were significant differences for the response component. Depressives underestimated the occurrence of an elation response, for both themselves and others, when compared to nondepressives. The specificity of this effect suggested that the more general nature of depressogenic thinking noted in Experiment 1 may not be a feature of depressives' processing of positive social information. Finally, the possible effects of this negative bias on the expression of social skills deficits by depressives were considered.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01172886
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