Biased information processing as a vulnerability factor for depression

Individuals who become clinically depressed once are more likely than are t heir never-depressed counterparts to experience a future episode of depress ion. This finding suggests that there is a stable vulnerability factor, or set of factors, that predisposes some individuals to become depressed repea tedly over the course of their lives. Cognitive theories of depression (e.g ., Beck, 1967, 1976) contend that negatively biased information processing may constitute such a vulnerability factor for the onset and/or maintenance of depression. In this paper, we review research using information-process ing paradigms that examines depression-associated biases in attention to, a nd memory for, negative information. We conclude that there is strong evide nce that depression is associated with concurrent information-processing bi ases. Moreover, based on the results of recent priming studies, we argue fu rther that some aspects of cognitive functioning, particularly those involv ing memory processes, may indeed represent a vulnerability factor for depre ssion. We conclude this paper with a discussion of implications of this lin e of research for the prevention and treatment of depression.