The Relationship of Attributional Style to Learned Helplessness in an Interpersonal Context

Weinberger, Hedy L.; Cash, Thomas F.

doi:10.1207/s15324834basp0302_4

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…One may expect unattractive persons to be more susceptible to depression on the basis of either a social-behavioral perspective (Coyne, 1976; Lewinsohn, 1974) or a learned helplessness perspective (Seligman, 1975). Unattractive individuals not only receive less response-contingent positive reinforcement but also perceive their interpersonal environments to be less responsive to their actions (e.g., Cash, in press), and following rejection, unattractive individuals make more unstable attributions for subsequent social success (Weinberger & Cash, 1982). However, the present study’s assessment of depression as a transient emotional state might have been insensitive to group differences.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body image, physical attractiveness, and depression.

Noles¹,

Cash²,

Winstead³

1985

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

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Although substantial literatures attest to the psychosocial impact of individuals' physical attractiveness and the centrality of physical self-concept, or body image, to global self-concept, little research has examined the relationship of these two variables to depression. Accordingly, in the present study, 224 college men and women completed alfective and cognitive measures of body image, the Center for Epidemiologlcal Studies-Depression scale (CES-D), and a single, self-labeling of depression item. Each subject was videotaped, and objective raters reliably evaluated a static, full-body pose of each subject on physical attractiveness. The subjects were classified as depressed (n = 35) or nondepressed (n = 42) on the basis of the conjunctive criteria of self-labeling and extreme groups on the CES-D. As hypothesized, the multivariate and univariate analyses of variance indicated that depressed subjects were less satisfied with their bodies and saw themselves as less physically attractive than was reported by nondepressed subjects. These groups did not differ, however, with respect to observer-rated physical attractiveness. Support was obtained for Beck's (1973, 1976) cognitive hypothesis that depressed persons negatively distort their body images. However, the results also indicated substantial positive distortion among nondepressed subjects. Researchers and theorists have speculated about the relationship between body image and depression based primarily on clinical observation (e.g., Cash, in press). Bedrosian (1981) and Emery (1981) both suggested that depressed individuals have distorted self-images based on their concerns about their physical attributes. Peto (1972) contended that body image is an important aspect of both psychotic and nonpsychotic depression. These theorists did not follow up their positions with systematic research. In Beck's (1973, 1976) cognitive theory of depression, "distortion of body image" (Beck, 1973, p. 24) is included among the cognitive symptoms of depression. Beck (1973) classified 975 individuals as nondepressed or as mildly, moderately, or severely depressed This research is based on a doctoral dissertation in psychology conducted by the first author under the supervision of the second and third authors. Appreciation is expressed to Tim Brown for his assistance in data collection.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body image, physical attractiveness, and depression.

Noles¹,

Cash²,

Winstead³

1985

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Self Cite

250

147

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“…Finally, while the present study evaluated generalized, dispositional cognitivebehavioral variables, another important research direction is the development and evaluation of more specific, contextual measures of cognitive events (Kendall & Korgeski, 1979). For example, goal-related and situational measures have been constructed to assess cognitive events in relation to depressive affect (e.g., Hollon & Kendall, 1980), social anxiety and skill (e.g., Craighead, 1979;Glass et al, 1982;Golden, 1981;Sutton-Simon & Goldfried, 1979), relationship maladjustment (Epstein & Edelson,198 l), self-control (e.g., Rosenbaum, 1980), and causal attributions (e.g., Abramson et al, 1978;Lefcourt, von Baeyer, Ware, & Cox, 1979;Weinberger & Cash, 1982). Future research on depressive states and traits and on interpersonal behaviors should consider their multidetermination through the concurrent use of generalized, goal-related, and insitu assessments of cognitive events.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The irrational beliefs test: Its relationship with cognitive-behavioral traits and depression

Cash

1984

J. Clin. Psychol.

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A number of theorists have maintained that cognitive events such as irrational beliefs mediate various affective and behavioral disorders. Jones' (1968) Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT) is a prominent self‐report instrument that assesses dispositional rationality‐irrationality with respect to 10 beliefs proposed by Ellis. The present study with a nonclinical sample of female college students (N = 114) evaluated the relationships among the IBT, locus of control, cognitive set for success and failure, interpersonal assertion, and depression. As predicted, irrationality on the IBT and on several of its specific‐belief components was related significantly to externality, negative cognitive set, unassertiveness, and self‐reported depressive symptomatology. Multiple regression analyses indicated that locus of control, irrationality, and cognitive set predicted assertion and that locus of control and irrationality predicted depression.

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