Cited by 130Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Automaticity in anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder

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Teachman, Bethany A., Joormann, Jutta, Steinman, Shari A., Gotlib, Ian H.·2012·Clinical Psychology Review

Abstract

In this paper we examine the nature of automatic cognitive processing in anxiety disorders and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Rather than viewing automaticity as a unitary construct, we follow a social cognition perspective (Bargh, 1994) that argues for four theoretically independent features of automaticity: unconscious (processing of emotional stimuli occurs outside awareness), efficient (processing emotional meaning uses minimal attentional resources), unintentional (no goal is needed to engage in processing emotional meaning), and uncontrollable (limited ability to avoid, alter or terminate processing emotional stimuli). Our review of the literature suggests that most anxiety disorders are characterized by uncontrollable, and likely also unconscious and unintentional, biased processing of threat-relevant information. In contrast, MDD is most clearly typified by uncontrollable, but not unconscious or unintentional, processing of negative information. For the anxiety disorders and for MDD, there is no sufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions about efficiency of processing, though early indications are that neither anxiety disorders nor MDD are characterized by this feature. Clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed and directions for future research are offered. In particular, it is clear that paradigms that more directly delineate the different features of automaticity are required to gain a more comprehensive and systematic understanding of the importance of automatic processing in emotion dysregulation.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cpr.2012.06.004

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Authors
Teachman, B. A., Joormann, J., Steinman, S. A., & Gotlib, I. H.
Affiliations
  • University of Virginia (US)
  • University of Miami (US)
  • Stanford University (US)
Corresponding author
Teachman, Bethany A.
Venue
Clinical Psychology Review
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-08
Volume
32
Issue
6
Pages
575-603
ISSN
0272-7358 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2005204552
Cited by
130
References
305
Citations by year
2025: 4 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 1
FWCI
1.69
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Clinical Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Aging (R01AG033033, AG033033)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH075781, R01MH075781, MH59259, MH74849, R01MH074849, R01MH059259)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
automaticity, anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, unconscious processes, threat processing, negative information processing, emotional dysregulation, social cognition
MeSH terms
Anxiety Disorders, Cognition, Major Depressive Disorder, Emotions, Humans

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