Cognitive Theory Basics
The assumption of cognitive theory is that thoughts are the primary determinants of emotions and behavior. Information processing is a common description of this mental process. Theorists compare the way the human mind functions to a computer. The trend of the last decades has been to merge cognitive theory and behaviorism into a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral theory (CBT). This allows therapists to use techniques from both schools of thought to help clients achieve their goals.
Social Cognitive Theory
Social cognitive theory is a subset of cognitive theory. Therapists use it to treat phobias and other psychological disorders. It is primarily focused on the ways in which we learn to model the behavior of others. Advertising campaigns and peer pressure situations are good examples.
Cognitive Restructuring to Treat Phobia
All three types of phobia fall into a larger group of psychological issues called anxiety disorders, which are the most common type of psychiatric disorder. The basic approach to cognitive restructuring put forth by leading cognitive theorist Christine A. Padesky, Ph.D., recommends that your therapist goes through four basic steps with you:
Cognitive Biases Treatment
Your therapist is relying on cognitive theory if they highlight identifying the cognitive biases in your maladaptive thoughts as a part of your treatment plan. Two types of cognitive biases addressed in anxiety treatment include:
Attention bias means that when you are experiencing your anxiety trigger, you pay attention to the negative signals instead of positive ones. For example, if you have a fear of public speaking, you only look at audience members with facial expressions you see as threatening, rather than seeking out the smiling faces.Interpretation bias, as the name implies, refers to misinterpreting information. At the podium, you might think an audience member with a negative facial expression is a reflection of how they feel about you when they’re really just tired.
