AQA A-Level Psychology: Depression & OCD
Depression: Cognitive Explanations
35. Beck's Cognitive Theory of Depression:
o Assumes depressed individuals have distorted, negative thinking
patterns.
o Key features:
Negative self-perception.
Pessimistic outlook.
Feelings of hopelessness.
Faulty information processing (focus on negatives, ignore
positives).
37. Negative Self-Schemas:
o Negative beliefs about oneself, developed from adverse past
experiences.
o Lead to cognitive biases (e.g., interpreting all self-related
information negatively).
38. Negative Triad (Beck):
o Negative view of:
Self.
Future.
World.
39. Ellis' ABC Model:
o Explains depression through:
(A)ctivating event: A trigger (e.g., failing an exam).
(B)elief: Irrational belief about the event (e.g., "I must
always succeed").
(C)onsequence: Emotional response (e.g., depression).
40. Strength of Beck: Supporting Evidence:
, o Grazioli & Terry (2001): Pregnant women with high cognitive
vulnerability were more likely to develop postpartum depression
(PND).
o Suggests cognitive factors precede depression.
41. Strength of Beck: Practical Application to Therapy:
o Beck's theory forms the basis of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
(CBT).
o CBT challenges negative triad elements.
42. Limitation of Beck: Incomplete Explanation:
o Doesn't explain all depression symptoms (e.g., anger,
hallucinations, delusions).
o Reductionist (focuses on cognition).
43. Limitation of Ellis: Partial Explanation:
o Applies to reactive depression (triggered by events), not
depression with no apparent cause.
44. Limitation of Cognitive Explanations: Cognition vs.
Emotion:
o Cognitive primacy (cognitions cause emotions) is debated.
o Other theories suggest emotions can arise independently of
immediate cognitive processing.
Depression: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & Rational Emotive
Behavior Therapy (REBT)
45. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
o Collaborative therapy to identify and challenge
negative/irrational thoughts.
o "Homework" to test irrational beliefs (e.g., recording positive
experiences).
46. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT):
o Confrontational cognitive therapy (Ellis).
o Challenges illogical, self-defeating attitudes.
Depression: Cognitive Explanations
35. Beck's Cognitive Theory of Depression:
o Assumes depressed individuals have distorted, negative thinking
patterns.
o Key features:
Negative self-perception.
Pessimistic outlook.
Feelings of hopelessness.
Faulty information processing (focus on negatives, ignore
positives).
37. Negative Self-Schemas:
o Negative beliefs about oneself, developed from adverse past
experiences.
o Lead to cognitive biases (e.g., interpreting all self-related
information negatively).
38. Negative Triad (Beck):
o Negative view of:
Self.
Future.
World.
39. Ellis' ABC Model:
o Explains depression through:
(A)ctivating event: A trigger (e.g., failing an exam).
(B)elief: Irrational belief about the event (e.g., "I must
always succeed").
(C)onsequence: Emotional response (e.g., depression).
40. Strength of Beck: Supporting Evidence:
, o Grazioli & Terry (2001): Pregnant women with high cognitive
vulnerability were more likely to develop postpartum depression
(PND).
o Suggests cognitive factors precede depression.
41. Strength of Beck: Practical Application to Therapy:
o Beck's theory forms the basis of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
(CBT).
o CBT challenges negative triad elements.
42. Limitation of Beck: Incomplete Explanation:
o Doesn't explain all depression symptoms (e.g., anger,
hallucinations, delusions).
o Reductionist (focuses on cognition).
43. Limitation of Ellis: Partial Explanation:
o Applies to reactive depression (triggered by events), not
depression with no apparent cause.
44. Limitation of Cognitive Explanations: Cognition vs.
Emotion:
o Cognitive primacy (cognitions cause emotions) is debated.
o Other theories suggest emotions can arise independently of
immediate cognitive processing.
Depression: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & Rational Emotive
Behavior Therapy (REBT)
45. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
o Collaborative therapy to identify and challenge
negative/irrational thoughts.
o "Homework" to test irrational beliefs (e.g., recording positive
experiences).
46. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT):
o Confrontational cognitive therapy (Ellis).
o Challenges illogical, self-defeating attitudes.
