The Cognitive Model
- Inevitably, the cognitive model concentrates on the individual’s
thoughts processes. The disturbed individual is affected by
disturbed thoughts. This approach sees the individual as an active
processor of information. It’s the way individuals perceive,
anticipate and evaluate events, rather than the events themselves,
which have the greatest impact on behaviour.
- Psychologists most associated with this approach are Beck and
Ellis.
Key assumptions made by the cognitive model:
- Cognitions affect behaviour: behaviour is primarily affected by
an individual’s thoughts and cognitions. Healthy cognitions lead to
normal behaviour, whereas faulty cognitions lead to abnormal
behaviour. Beck (1967) called these irrational thoughts ‘cognitive
errors’.
- Mental illness, according to the cognitive model, is the result of
inappropriate thinking.
- The focus is not on the problem itself but the way a person thinks
about it.
- Faulty and irrational thinking prevents the individual behaving
adaptively.
- Ellis (1962) referred to this as the A-B-C model:
- A refers to an activating event (e.g. the sight of a large dog).
- B is the belief, which may be rational or irrational (e.g. ‘the
dog is harmless’ – rational, or ‘the dog will attack me’ – irrational.)
- C is the consequence – rational beliefs lead to healthy
emotions (e.g. amusement or indifference) whereas irrational
beliefs lead to unhealthy emotions (e.g. fear or panic).
- The cognitive model portrays the individual as being the cause of
their own thoughts.
- Abnormality, therefore is the product of faulty control.
- Cognitive errors: individuals try to make sense of their world
through cognitive processes. Automatic thoughts are thoughts that
occur without thinking. People with psychological problems tend to
have more negative automatic thoughts. Attributions refer to
people’s attempts to make sense and explain their own and other’s
behaviour. People with psychological problems may make more
inaccurate attributions. For example, they may attribute a failed
relationship to their own lack of social skills. In addition, people
suffering from psychological problems may have inaccurate
expectations. For example, they may expect their relationships to
end in failure. Such expectations will make it more likely to happen
in reality – a self-fulfilling prophecy. In effect, people with
psychological problems may lack confidence in their own ability to
achieve they want to in life. These illogical thoughts may not reflect
- Inevitably, the cognitive model concentrates on the individual’s
thoughts processes. The disturbed individual is affected by
disturbed thoughts. This approach sees the individual as an active
processor of information. It’s the way individuals perceive,
anticipate and evaluate events, rather than the events themselves,
which have the greatest impact on behaviour.
- Psychologists most associated with this approach are Beck and
Ellis.
Key assumptions made by the cognitive model:
- Cognitions affect behaviour: behaviour is primarily affected by
an individual’s thoughts and cognitions. Healthy cognitions lead to
normal behaviour, whereas faulty cognitions lead to abnormal
behaviour. Beck (1967) called these irrational thoughts ‘cognitive
errors’.
- Mental illness, according to the cognitive model, is the result of
inappropriate thinking.
- The focus is not on the problem itself but the way a person thinks
about it.
- Faulty and irrational thinking prevents the individual behaving
adaptively.
- Ellis (1962) referred to this as the A-B-C model:
- A refers to an activating event (e.g. the sight of a large dog).
- B is the belief, which may be rational or irrational (e.g. ‘the
dog is harmless’ – rational, or ‘the dog will attack me’ – irrational.)
- C is the consequence – rational beliefs lead to healthy
emotions (e.g. amusement or indifference) whereas irrational
beliefs lead to unhealthy emotions (e.g. fear or panic).
- The cognitive model portrays the individual as being the cause of
their own thoughts.
- Abnormality, therefore is the product of faulty control.
- Cognitive errors: individuals try to make sense of their world
through cognitive processes. Automatic thoughts are thoughts that
occur without thinking. People with psychological problems tend to
have more negative automatic thoughts. Attributions refer to
people’s attempts to make sense and explain their own and other’s
behaviour. People with psychological problems may make more
inaccurate attributions. For example, they may attribute a failed
relationship to their own lack of social skills. In addition, people
suffering from psychological problems may have inaccurate
expectations. For example, they may expect their relationships to
end in failure. Such expectations will make it more likely to happen
in reality – a self-fulfilling prophecy. In effect, people with
psychological problems may lack confidence in their own ability to
achieve they want to in life. These illogical thoughts may not reflect
