Description
Exaggerated or irrational thought patterns that cause individuals to perceive reality inaccurately. Term emerged from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The theory of CBT is that becoming aware of these patterns and aware of our thoughts allows us to self-regulate our behaviour, view challenging situations more clearly, and respond to challenges more effectively.
List of Common Cognitive Distortions
Arbitrary Inference/Jumping to Conclusions
The process of drawing a negative conclusion, in the absence of specific evidence to support that conclusion (Beck et al., 1979; Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999).
Example: “I’m really going to blow it. What if I flunk?” (Burns, 1989).
Catastrophizing
The process of evaluating, whereby one believes the worst possible outcome will or did occur (Beck et al., 1979; Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999).
Example: “I better not try because I might fail, and that would be awful” (Freeman & Lurie, 1994).
Comparison
The tendency to compare oneself whereby the outcome typically results in the conclusion that one is inferior or worse off than others (Freeman & DeWolf, 1992; Freeman & Oster, 1999).
Example: “I wish I were as comfortable with women as my brother is” (Freeman & DeWolf, 1992).
Dichotomous / Black-and-White Thinking
The tendency to view all experiences as fitting into one of two categories (e.g., positive or negative; good or bad) without the ability to place oneself, others, and experiences along a continuum (Beck et al., 1979; Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999; Freeman & DeWolf, 1992).
Example: “I’ve blown my diet completely” (Burns, 1989).
Disqualifying the Positive
The process of rejecting or discounting positive experiences, traits, or attributes (Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999).
Example: “This success experience was only a fluke” (Freeman & Lurie, 1994).
Emotional Reasoning
The predominant use of an emotional state to form conclusions about oneself, others, or situations (Beck et al., 1979; Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999; Freeman & Oster, 1999).
Example: “I feel terrified about going on airplanes. It must be very dangerous to fly” (Burns, 1989).
Externalization of Self-Worth
The development and maintenance of self-worth based almost exclusively on how the external world views one (Freeman & DeWolf, 1992; Freeman & Oster, 1999).
Example: “My worth is dependent on what others think of me” (Freeman & Lurie, 1994).
Fortunetelling
The process of foretelling or predicting the negative outcome of a future event or events and believing this prediction is absolutely true for oneself (Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999).
Example: “I’ll never, ever feel better” (Burns, 1989).
Labeling
Labeling oneself using derogatory names (Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999; Freeman & DeWolf, 1992).
Example: “I’m a loser” (Burns, 1989).
Magnification
The tendency to exaggerate or magnify either the positive or negative importance or consequence of some personal trait, event, or circumstance (Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999).
Example: “I have the tendency to exaggerate the importance of minor events” (Yurica & DiTomasso, 2001).
Mind Reading
One’s arbitrary conclusion that someone is reacting negatively, or thinking negatively toward him/her, without specific evidence to support that conclusion (Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999).
Example: “I just know that he/she disapproves” (Freeman & Lurie, 1994).
Minimization
The process of minimizing or discounting the importance of some event, trait, or circumstance (Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999).
Example: “I underestimate the seriousness of situations” (Yurica & DiTomasso, 2001).
Overgeneralization
The process of formulating rules or conclusions on the basis of limited experience and applying these rules across broad and unrelated situations (Beck et al., 1979; Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999).
Example: “It doesn’t matter what my choices are, they always fall flat” (Freeman & Lurie, 1994).
Perfectionism
A constant striving to live up to some internal or external representation of perfection without examining the evidence for the reasonableness of these perfect standards, often in an attempt to avoid a subjective experience of failure (Freeman & DeWolf, 1992; Freeman & Oster, 1999).
Example: “Doing a merely adequate job is akin to being a failure” (Freeman & Lurie, 1994).
Personalization
The process of assuming personal causality for situations, events, and reactions of others when there is no evidence supporting that conclusion (Beck et al., 1979; Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999; Freeman & DeWolf, 1992).
Example: “That comment wasn’t just random, it must have been directed toward me” (Freeman & Lurie, 1994).
Selective Abstraction
The process of exclusively focusing on one negative aspect or detail of a situation, magnifying the importance of that detail, thereby casting the whole situation in a negative context (Beck et al., 1979; Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999).
Example: “I must focus on the negative details while I ignore and filter out all the positive aspects of a situation” (Freeman & Lurie, 1994).
“Should” Statements
A pattern of internal expectations or demands on oneself, without examination of the reasonableness of these expectations in the context of one’s life, abilities, and other resources (Burns, 1980, 1989, 1999; Freeman & DeWolf, 1992).
Example: “I shouldn’t have made so many mistakes” (Burns, 1989).