Cognitive Distortions Flashcards
Cognitive Bias
Focus on the negative and worry about the future.
Discounting the Positive
Recognizing only the negative aspects of a situation while ignoring the positive.
Belittling ones own achievement. “I got an A on the test, but I got some wrong. I should have studied harder.”
One might receive many compliments on an evaluation, but focus on the single piece of negative feedback.
Egocentrism
My perspective is the only perspective
Personalization
Personalization is the belief that you are entirely to blame for something even though you had little or nothing to do with the outcome. In fact, the situation may not be connected to you in any way at all. It can also involve blaming someone else for something for which they have no responsibility.
Examples:
Feeling like you’re to blame when someone else does not have a good time when they are with you.
Feeling like you are being intentionally excluded from a group when you see members interacting together without you.
Feeling that others are blaming you for something over which you had little or no control.
Assuming that you have been targeted by someone’s behavior when it actually has nothing to do with you.
Magnification
With this type of cognitive distortion, things are exaggerated or blown out of proportion, though not quite to the extent of catastrophizing.
It is the real-life version of the old saying, “Making a mountain out of a molehill.”
One might believe their own achievements are very important, or that their mistakes are excessively important.
Minimization
A person who distorts reality by minimizing may think something like, “Yes, I got a raise, but it wasn’t very big and I’m still not very good at my job.
Undervaluing the severity of something.
The tendency to reframe events to reduce their significance. Minimizing can help us cope with situations and emotions that may be hard for us to accept or deal with.
Person who does this often magnifies as well.
All or Nothing Thinking
Thinking in absolutes such as “always”, “never”, or “every”. “I never do a good enough job on anything.”
Catastrophizing
Seeing only the worst possible outcomes of a situation.
If you fall short on meeting your financial goals one month you may think, “I’m going to end up bankrupt.”
Shoulds
You tell yourself that things should be a certain way with no exceptions.
“I should always be friendly.”
“I should go to the gym.”
Overgeneralization
Making broad interpretations from a single or few events.
“I felt awkward during my job interview. I am always so awkward.”
Emotional Reasoning
The assumption that emotions reflect the way things really are.
“I feel like a bad friend, therefore I must be a bad friend.”
“I feel guilty for saying “no”, so I must have been wrong to set that boundary.”
“I feel like I’m not smart enough. That means I must be stupid.”
Mind Reading
Interpreting the thoughts and beliefs of others without adequate evidence. Expecting others to know what we are thinking without saying it out loud.
“He must have thought I was stupid at the meeting,” makes inferences that aren’t necessarily based on reality.
Labeling
Labeling people and experiences based on isolated incidents. This places them into categtories.
Instead of thinking, “He made a mistake,” you might label your neighbor as “an idiot.”
Fortune Telling
Although none of us knows what will happen in the future, we sometimes like to try our hand at fortune-telling.
We think things like, “I’m going to embarrass myself tomorrow,” or “If I go on a diet, I’ll probably just gain weight.”
These types of thoughts can become self-fulfilling prophecies if you’re not careful.
Unreal Ideal
Making unfair comparisons about ourselves and other people can ruin our motivation.
Looking at someone who has achieved much success and thinking, “I should have been able to do that,” isn’t helpful, especially if that person had some lucky breaks or competitive advantages along the way.
