Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 16, 2026
08:42
Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
Published on: May 19, 2015
11.3K
Self-blame-selective social conceptual overgeneralisation and vulnerability to depression.
Diede Fennema1, Andrew J Lawrence1, Catherine A Spilling1
1Centre of Affective Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
Summary
Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) show overgeneralized thinking, impacting self-blame. This study links conceptual overgeneralization to MDD vulnerability and identifies neural correlates, suggesting a potential personalized treatment target.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Overgeneralized thinking is a vulnerability factor for major depressive disorder (MDD).
- While autobiographical memory deficits are studied, the role of semantic memory in MDD self-blame remains unclear.
- Conceptual overgeneralization may contribute to self-blaming biases in MDD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ability to differentiate abstract social concepts in interpreting behavior.
- To examine the contribution of conceptual overgeneralization to self-blaming biases and MDD.
- To explore the neural correlates of conceptual overgeneralization in MDD.
Main Methods:
- A cognitive task assessed conceptual overgeneralization in 96 participants (60 remitted MDD, 36 controls).
- A subset (75 participants) underwent fMRI while viewing self- and other-blame statements.
- Analysis focused on predefined regions of interest including the right anterior temporal lobe (ATL) and anterior cingulate cortex.
Main Results:
- The MDD group showed greater self-blame-selective conceptual overgeneralization and its interdependency with negative emotional valence.
- This interdependency correlated with increased activation in the right anterior subgenual cingulate and primary motor cortex.
- Higher self-blame-selective conceptual overgeneralization was associated with reduced right ATL activation for self- vs. other-blame.
Conclusions:
- Self-blame-selective conceptual overgeneralization is linked to MDD vulnerability.
- Neural differences suggest altered self-blame and agency attributions in MDD.
- This cognitive bias may represent a neurocognitive subtype of MDD, potentially serving as a personalized treatment target.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Self-Serving Bias
283
Self-serving bias is a cognitive phenomenon in which individuals attribute positive outcomes to internal factors such as their abilities, intelligence, or effort while attributing negative outcomes to external circumstances. This cognitive distortion helps maintain self-esteem but can also impede objective self-assessment.Theoretical Explanations of Self-Serving BiasTwo primary theories explain the self-serving bias: the cognitive explanation and the motivational explanation.The cognitive...
283
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
45.0K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
45.0K
01:25Beck's Cognitive Therapy
486
Cognitive therapy is a psychological approach designed to address distortions in thinking, which can lead to negative emotions and unrealistic beliefs. These cognitive distortions often influence how individuals interpret and respond to situations, exacerbating emotional distress. Below are some prevalent cognitive distortions, their characteristics, and examples of how they manifest in thought processes.
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...
486
01:27Protecting Self-Esteem
266
Self-esteem, a central component of psychological well-being, is actively maintained through various cognitive and behavioral strategies. Individuals employ specific mechanisms to preserve a positive self-concept and mitigate threats to their self-worth, particularly in contexts involving social evaluation or personal feedback. Four primary techniques are commonly used to sustain self-esteem.Manipulating AppraisalsOne prominent strategy involves manipulating appraisals from others. Individuals...
266
01:27Depressive Disorders: Etiology
830
Depressive disorders result from a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, each contributing uniquely to the development and persistence of the condition. Understanding these factors provides critical insight into the multifaceted nature of depression.
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
830
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
407
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
407