Unhelpful Thinking Patterns Jeopardy

With Friends

100

"You ALWAYS make things worse."

What is "All or Nothing Thinking?" (No one ALWAYS makes things worse. There are SOME TIMES they make things better.)

200

"I haven't met them, but I don't think they like me because of the clothes I wear."

What is "Jumping to Conclusions?" (Mind Reading) We can't know for sure what others are thinking, and perhaps the other group LIKES what you are wearing.

300

Bill thought he had a bad day. In the morning, he drove his sister to school, then he worked 12 hours, took her home, and then started dinner. Unfortunately, he burnt the macaroni and cheese he made. Bill: "I am so stupid! I can't even make macaroni and cheese!"

What is "Disqualifying the Positive?" Bill helped his sister, worked 12 hours, and is very busy. Just because he burnt the macaroni and cheese, that does not mean that he is less intelligent. Perhaps he was doing too much at once, but this does not make him "stupid."

400

"You're a mess." "He is a dork." "She is a nerd."

What is "Labeling?" Our labels are helpful when they allow us to become more skilled and competent. Use a label that connects you with "can" instead of "can't."

500

Jill broke her fingernail. "I broke my fingernail, so my boyfriend doesn't love me anymore!"

What is "Catastrophizing?" Jill is assuming the worst about her boyfriend. It is possible that her boyfriend thinks a broken fingernail is interesting or unimportant.

Accomplishments

100

"I SHOULD have gotten a 100 on this test. I'm terrible at math!"

What is "Critical Words?" It would have been NICE if the person got a 100 on the test, but the past is now the past. Rephrase as, "It would have been better." "It would have been better if I had gotten a 100 on this test. I'll make it better."

200

Brunhilde feels that she is not skilled at math despite scoring well on tests.

What is "Emotional Reasoning?" Brunhilde FEELS that she is not good at math, so she believes it is TRUE that she is not good at math despite good test scores.

300

Susan is an exceptional artist. Her teachers tell her that she is very talented. She was criticized at an art exhibit. She focused only on the criticism and believed she was a failure.

What is "Mental Filtering?" Susan focused only on the criticism while forgetting what others have told her.

400

"One driver in a Porche wouldn't slow down for me to cross the street. Only bad people drive Porches."

What is "Overgeneralizing?"

500

"You're a very creative person!" "No, I'm not!"

What is "Disqualifying the Positive?"

Self-talk

100

"I'm going to fail this exam, so why even try?"

What is "Fortune Telling?" (Jumping to Conclusions) Until people try, people cannot fully know how they will do. If someone tries, s/he may pass or fail, but already thinking one has failed and not trying will result in failure.

200

"I can quit smoking anytime. It's no big deal."

What is "Minimization?" Smoking leads to serious health problems, but this person is minimizing the importance of those problems.

300

Tom had a heart attack and died on a race course. The race organizer blames herself, even though there was nothing she could have done.

What is "Personalization?" The race organizer cannot be entirely responsible for everything that happens, especially a heart attack that the race organizer had no control over.

400

Bob believes he must either get a perfect score on his history test. If he does not, he is a failure at everything he does.

What is "All or Nothing?" If Bob does not get a perfect test score, he can still continue to improve his history skills.

500

"English people aren't good at math." "British people have an intelligent accent."

What is "Overgeneralizing?" English people can ALSO be good at math with practice. Accent and intelligence are different factors: intelligent people can have accents that are deemed "unintelligent" by society.