The effects of expectations, event valence, and depressive symptoms on rationality

Previous research has demonstrated that depressed people are more irrational than nondepressed people in negative situations (Cook & Peterson, 1986; McDermut, Haaga, & Bilek, 1997; White, Davison, Haaga, and White, 1992). In the present study, participants (N = 90) were asked to read hypothetical events that varied both in valence and expectedness. Participants indicated a cause for the event, then were asked to justify their identified cause. Justifications for causes were rated for rationality. As predicted, participants were more rational in unexpected events and less rational in expected events. Depressed and nondepressed participants did not differ on overall rationality of justifications. These findings are discussed with respect to Beck's (1963, 1987) cognitive theory of depression and the literature on depressive realism.