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Motivation to obtain self-relevant feedback in depressed college students
Journal of Clinical Psychology
|September 1, 1984
Summary
Depressed college students seek more self-relevant feedback, even at a cost. Both depressed and nondepressed individuals desire more information after positive or no feedback, but less after negative feedback.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Depression is associated with altered self-perception and information processing.
- Previous research suggests depressed individuals may avoid negative self-relevant information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the motivation for seeking self-relevant feedback in depressed versus nondepressed individuals.
- To examine the influence of preliminary feedback valence on the desire for additional information.
Main Methods:
- Thirty depressed and 30 nondepressed college students participated.
- Participants completed a social judgment task with varying preliminary feedback (positive, negative, none).
- Willingness to pay for additional feedback was measured.
Main Results:
- Depressed students were more willing to pay for self-relevant feedback compared to nondepressed students.
- Both groups showed increased motivation for feedback after positive or no preliminary feedback.
- Negative preliminary feedback decreased motivation for further information in both groups.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the hypothesis of a heightened need for external reassurance in depressed individuals.
- Preliminary feedback valence significantly impacts the motivation to seek further self-relevant information.
- Results align with theories describing altered information-seeking behaviors in depression.