Cognitive immunization
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Self-deception. (Discuss) Proposed since May 2025. |
Cognitive immunization refers to the psychological process of rejecting information that is misaligned with one's existing beliefs.[1] Instead of updating beliefs when presented with new information, those who exhibit cognitive immunization will instead preserve their assumptions about themselves and the world.
Cognitive immunization is primarily studied in clinical psychology, often in conjunction with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.[2]
Clinical relevance
[edit]Aaron T. Beck, a pioneer in cognitive behavioural therapy, first theorized that depression is rooted in negative beliefs about oneself.[3] Many cognitive theories, as a result, propose that biased negative beliefs are a mechanism that perpetuate depression.[4]
Studies have since found that those with major depressive disorder, or similar disordered thinking patterns, are more likely to use cognitive immunization to disregard positive information in favor of maintaining their negative beliefs. This can result in ongoing negative beliefs about oneself and sustained depressive episodes.[5]
The relationship between expectations of oneself and cognitive immunization have also been studied in the context of persisting mental disorders.[6] It has been found that those with mental health disorders are more likely to use cognitive immunization to reject positive expectations of themselves than those without mental health disorders.[7] This indicates that the inhibition of cognitive immunization is an important mechanism to target in therapeutic intervention.[8]
In this context, Expectation-Focused Psychological Interventions (EFPI),[9] or therapy that tests the credibility of a patient's expectations, can be an impactful tool for those who exhibit cognitive immunization.[10] EFPI allows therapists and practitioners to test the beliefs of those with depression or anxiety and to potentially correct any instances of cognitive immunization.[11]
Mechanisms and cognitive models
[edit]Cognitive immunization is considered a maladaptive cognitive process that rejects or dismisses expectation-disconfirming information. This phenomenon can be related to the violEx model,[12] which examines how individuals adjust their expectations in light of new evidence.[13]
According to this model, when an individual rejects novel information in favor of maintaining outdated or biased beliefs, they are cognitively immunizing themselves against disconfirming information.
References
[edit]- ^ Würtz, Felix; Kube, Tobias; Woud, Marcella; Blackwell, Simon; Margraf, Jürgen (2021-12-01). "The interplay of interpretation biases and cognitive immunization in depression". Open Science Framework.
- ^ Kube, Tobias; Glombiewski, Julia Anna; Gall, Jeremias; Touissant, Leslie; Gärtner, Thomas; Rief, Winfried (2019-05-01). "How to modify persisting negative expectations in major depression? An experimental study comparing three strategies to inhibit cognitive immunization against novel positive experiences". Journal of Affective Disorders. 250: 231–240. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.027. ISSN 0165-0327.
- ^ "The Negative Core Beliefs Inventory: Development and Psychometric Properties | Springer Publishing". connect.springerpub.com. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
- ^ Uwajeh, K.; Egbuchulem, K. I.; Afolabi, O. A. (2024-04-30). "MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER: COGNITIVE, EMOTIVE AND MOTIVATIONAL CONSEQUENCES IN ADOLESCENTS". Annals of Ibadan Postgraduate Medicine. 22 (1): 116–120. ISSN 1597-1627. PMC 11205714. PMID 38939890.
- ^ Kube, Tobias; Glombiewski, Julia Anna (2021-06-01). "How Depressive Symptoms Hinder Positive Information Processing: An Experimental Study on the Interplay of Cognitive Immunisation and Negative Mood in the Context of Expectation Adjustment". Cognitive Therapy and Research. 45 (3): 517–528. doi:10.1007/s10608-020-10191-4. ISSN 1573-2819.
- ^ Rief, Winfried; Joormann, Jutta (2019-03-29). "Revisiting the Cognitive Model of Depression: The Role of Expectations". Clinical Psychology in Europe. 1 (1): 1–19. doi:10.32872/cpe.v1i1.32605. ISSN 2625-3410.
- ^ Ewen, Anne-Catherine I.; Rief, Winfried; Wilhelm, Marcel (2022-12-08). "Exploring the path of persisting dysfunctional expectations—Development of the immunization scale IMS". Frontiers in Psychology. 13. ISSN 1664-1078.
- ^ Kube, Tobias; Rief, Winfried; Gollwitzer, Mario; Gärtner, Thomas; Glombiewski, Julia Anna (July 2019). "Why dysfunctional expectations in depression persist – Results from two experimental studies investigating cognitive immunization". Psychological Medicine. 49 (9): 1532–1544. doi:10.1017/S0033291718002106. ISSN 0033-2917.
- ^ Kube, Tobias; Glombiewski, Julia Anna; Rief, Winfried (2018). "Using Different Expectation Mechanisms to Optimize Treatment of Patients With Medical Conditions: A Systematic Review". Psychosomatic Medicine. 80 (6): 535–543. doi:10.1097/PSY.0000000000000596. ISSN 1534-7796. PMID 29697530.
- ^ Doering, Bettina K.; Glombiewski, Julia A.; Rief, Winfried (2018). "Expectation-Focused Psychotherapy to Improve Clinical Outcomes". International Review of Neurobiology. 138: 257–270. doi:10.1016/bs.irn.2018.02.004. ISSN 2162-5514. PMID 29681329.
- ^ Vîslă, Andreea (2018-05-04). "The relation between outcome expectation, therapeutic alliance, and outcome among depressed patients in group cognitive-behavioral therapy". Psychotherapy Research. 28 (3): 446–456. doi:10.1080/10503307.2016.1218089. ISSN 1050-3307. PMID 27494662 – via Google Scholar.
- ^ Panitz, Christian; Endres, Dominik; Buchholz, Merle; Khosrowtaj, Zahra; Sperl, Matthias F. J.; Mueller, Erik M.; Schubö, Anna; Schütz, Alexander C.; Teige-Mocigemba, Sarah; Pinquart, Martin (2021-11-11). "A Revised Framework for the Investigation of Expectation Update Versus Maintenance in the Context of Expectation Violations: The ViolEx 2.0 Model". Frontiers in Psychology. 12. ISSN 1664-1078.
- ^ Panitz, Christian; Endres, Dominik; Buchholz, Merle; Khosrowtaj, Zahra; Sperl, Matthias F. J.; Mueller, Erik M.; Schubö, Anna; Schütz, Alexander C.; Teige-Mocigemba, Sarah; Pinquart, Martin (2021). "A Revised Framework for the Investigation of Expectation Update Versus Maintenance in the Context of Expectation Violations: The ViolEx 2.0 Model". Frontiers in Psychology. 12: 726432. ISSN 1664-1078. PMC 8632008. PMID 34858264.