Interpretation revealed in the blink of an eye: depressive bias in the resolution of ambiguity
Abstract
Self-report measures of interpretation have been criticized on methodological grounds. An approach is introduced in this article that enables the assessment of interpretive bias with a greater degree of methodological rigor than previously has been the case. Psychophysiological researchers have established that the magnitude of the human blink reflex is augmented when elicited during negative rather than neutral imagery. The 1st experiment demonstrates that the blink reflex is sensitive to the emotional valence of imagery evoked by interpretations imposed on ambiguous stimuli. In the 2nd experiment, this measure is used to assess interpretations imposed on ambiguous stimuli by individuals who differ in depression levels. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that depression is associated with a negative interpretive bias.
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Depressed individuals interpret ambiguous information more negatively.
“and also interpret ambiguous information more negatively (Butler and Mathews, 1983; Dearing and Gotlib, 2009; Lawson et al., 2002; Rude et al., 2002).”
From The role of inflammation in core features of depression: Insights from paradigms using exogenously-induced inflammation. (2018) · cites this paper as Lawson et al., 2002
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- Authors
- Lawson, C., MacLeod, C., & Hammond, G.
- Affiliations
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- Venue
- Journal of Abnormal Psychology
- Published
- 2002-05
- Volume
- 111
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 321-328
- ISSN
- 0021-843X (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1846
- OpenAlex
- W2067592459
- Cited by
- 157
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 4.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Abnormal Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
- 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 › Applied Psychology › Psychological Testing and Assessment
- Keywords
- interpretation bias, depression, ambiguity resolution, blink reflex, ambiguous stimuli
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Attention, Concept Formation, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Paired-Associate Learning, Semantics
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