Cognitive Distortion / Cognitive Bias - Psychology Tools (2024)

FAQs

What are the tools to assess cognitive distortions? ›

To our knowledge, only four measures have been developed that attempt to directly assess cognitive distortions: the Cognitive Error Questionnaire – General Form (CEQ; Lefebvre, 1981), the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions (ICD; Yurica, 2002), the Cognitive Distortions Scale (CDS; Covin, Dozois, Ogniewicz, & Seeds, ...

One common type of bias in automatic thoughts is 'disqualifying the positive': we sometimes overlook, discount, or dismiss our positive attributes and experiences. This can make it difficult to change negative thoughts and beliefs about ourselves and our future.

Cognitive bias: "a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment." Cognitive distortion: "an exaggerated or irrational thought pattern involved in the onset or perpetuation of psychopathological states, such as depression and anxiety."

Cognitive distortions are biased thoughts that can distort the way a person sees themselves, their life, their specific day-to-day situations, their relationships, and other people. These thoughts can contribute to mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Examples of cognitive tools include: databases, spreadsheets, semantic networks, expert systems, communications software such as teleconferencing programs, on-line collaborative knowledge construction environments, multimedia/ hypermedia construction software, and computer programming languages.

The Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire (CD-Quest) assesses 15 common distortions. Machine-learning optimized short-forms of the CD-Quest were developed. CD-Quest data sources were six independent clinical and nonclinical samples. Integer weights allow hand-scoring to reproduce total CD-Quest scores.

“Disqualifying the positive” is a cognitive distortion where individuals dismiss or downplay positive experiences, achievements, or feedback, attributing them to external factors or considering them as insignificant.

One of the most common cognitive distortions is “mind reading”. Mind reading is what happens when you are convinced that you know what someone else is thinking.

A therapist can utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other strategies to help you change these distorted ways of thinking. CBT is an approach that helps people recognize these cognitive distortions and replace them with more helpful, realistic thoughts.

How can cognitive distortions hurt you? ›

Cognitive distortions are internal mental filters or biases that increase our misery, fuel our anxiety, and make us feel bad about ourselves. Our brains are continually processing lots of information. To deal with this, our brains seek shortcuts to cut down our mental burden.

Example: Cognitive bias One common manifestation of cognitive bias is the stereotype that women are less competent or less committed to their jobs. These stereotypes may linger in managers' subconscious, influencing their hiring and promoting decisions. This, in turn, can lead to workplace discrimination.

Mental filtering

This distorted thought pattern involves the tendency to ignore positives and focus exclusively on negatives. This is known as mental filtering. Interpreting circ*mstances using a negative mental filter is inaccurate and can also worsen anxiety and depression symptoms.

Always Being Right.

For example, “I don't care how badly arguing with me makes you feel, I'm going to win this argument no matter what because I'm right.” Being right often is more important than the feelings of others around a person who engages in this cognitive distortion, even loved ones.

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

It evaluates visuospatial skills, attention, language, abstract reasoning, delayed recall, executive function, and orientation. [10] The MoCA covers more domains than the MMSE and, as a consequence, has greater sensitivity and specificity.

The General Practitioner assessment of Cognition (GPCOG) is a screening tool for cognitive impairment. It has been designed for general practitioners, primary care physicians, and family doctors. The MMSE is currently the most widely used cognitive assessment tool. It takes 10-15 minutes to administer.