The Cognive Model

• Problems in our thinking lead to abnormal behavior
– CogniAve distorAons (irraAonal, inaccurate thoughts about events)
– Aaron Beck suggests that a disorder may result if one has negaAve
views of oneself (“I’m worthless”), others (“Everyone is out to get
me”), and the future (“Nothing will ever change”)
» OCen come in form of arbitrary inferences (conclusion based on liIle evidence)
• E.g., Not gehng along with one coworker & believing everyone dislikes you
• Can also be based on personaliza5on (wrongly blaming oneself for events)
• E.g., believing you were the cause of your parents’ divorce