ATTRIBUTIONS OF DEPRESSED PERSONS - HOW CONSISTENT ARE THEY WITH THE COVARIATION PRINCIPLE

The sensitivity of depressives' and nondepressives' attributions to co variation information is investigated. Individuals differing in depres sion made attributions in response to descriptions of negative situati ons, either without or with additional covariation information designe d to lead to external and specific (Studies 1, 2, and 3) or to interna l, stable, and global attributions, or to both (Studies 2 and 3). Cova riation information modified attributions in the expected directions e qually strongly for both mood groups. In Study 4, covariation informat ion was assessed rather than provided. Depressives were more prone tha n nondepressives to assume low consensus, low distinctiveness, and hig h consistency for negative events. Depressives' causal conclusions fro m the self-perceived covariation information were more negative but co rrelated more strongly with self-perceived covariation than did nondep ressives' attributions.