Cognitive Techniques

Cognitive disortions are negative ways of thinking that are both illogical (unsupported by evidence) and harmful.  They are harmful because they lead to further negative thoughts, beliefs, feelings and behaviour.

All-or-nothing thinking : You view a situation in strictly black or white terms, with no shades of grey.

‘Since I didnt get an A, I’ve failed.’ (You don’t consider that a B is a good mark and that a B does not equal an F.)

Selective Abstraction : You focus on one negative detail excluding the larger picture.

”Getting two problems wrong means that I don’t know anything.’ (You ignore the fact that you got 18 problems right).

Overgeneralisation : You make a sweeping negative conclusion that goes far beyond the present situation.

‘Since I did poorly on this exam, I’ll do poorly on the course and every other maths course.’ (You are jumping to conclusions based on one small event and are ignoring all your past accomplishments that don’t support this view.

Fortune Telling : You predict the future negatively, usually catastrophizing, with little or no basis.

‘I’ll never make it as a mathematician.’ (You don’t allow for other possibilities and only consider the worst outcome).

Magnifying/Minimizing : You make the situation out to be much worse than it is and/or you minimize your strengths and assets.

‘Getting a B is going to ruin my life.  I don’t have what it takes to succeed.’ (You don’t put the event in proper perspective or give yourself credit for other achievements or attributes.

Labelling : You put a fixed, overgeneralized label on yourself or others based on one or a few behaviours or performances.

‘I’m stupid’. (You equate one performance with stupidity.  Even an F on a test wouldn’t necessarily mean you’re completely stupid in every way.

Emotional Reasoning : You think something must be true because you believe it so strongly.

‘Since I feel like such a failure, I must be one.’ (You ignore evidence that challenges your view, relying on your “feeling” which is really just your belief).

Mind-reading : You believe you know what others are thinking and how they view a situation.

‘The professor must think I’m stupid.’ (You jump to conclusions, failing to consider that your professor is probably considering the larger picture).

Personalization : You believe others are behaving the way they are because of something you did.

‘The professor is ignoring me in class today because I disappointed him’. (You don’t consider other possibilities for his behaviour.  For example, perhaps he is paying more attention to students who are asking questions or he’s concentrating on his notes.

Should and Shouldn’ts : You have a precise fixed notion of how you or others should behave (or should have behaved).  You chastise yourself or others for not living up to your expectations when people generally act in accordance with their own nature and perceptions.

‘I should have studied much harder.’ (You did study very hard and there was no way of knowing in advance that these particular problems would be on the test.  At the time, you judged that you had studied as much as you could, given your other obligations.