Glossary N

Glossary N

Negative cognitive schemata are stable structures in memory that guide information processing, including self -critical beliefs and attitudes, in a way that is consistent with the negative self-image of the subject. Even in the face of contradictory evidence, these cognitive schemata are rigid and resistant to change even in the face of contradictory evidence.

Negative cognitive shift refers to a state in which individuals ignore positive information relative to themselves and focus on negative information about themselves.

Negative cognitive style refers to a style of processing information in which people attribute their problems to stable and global causes, anticipate dreadful consequences, and believe the problems reflect their own personal shortcomings.

Negative cognitive triad refers to negative views about oneself, the world, and the future that are characteristic of youngsters with depression. These views maintain feelings of helplessness, undermine the child’s mood and energy level, and are related to the severity of depression.

Negative color afterimage is the result of prolonged staring at a colored display and then looking at a white surface, in which one sees green where the display had been red, red where it had been green, yellow where it had been blue, blue where it had been yellow, black where it had been white, and white where it had been black.

Negative contrast effect refers to the process whereby an increase in the rate of reinforcement on one component of a multiple schedule produces a decrease in the rate of response on the other component; a decrease in behavior when reinforcement magnitude is decreased such that the behavior is less than when it has always been followed by a small magnitude

Negative correlation is when increases in one variable are accompanied by decreases in another variable. Negative correlation refers to a statistical relationship in which increases in one measure are matched by decreases in the other; association between two variables in which one increases as the other decreases.

Negative discrimination is when a test item is answered incorrectly more frequently for high scorers on the test than for low scorers; the item discriminates in a different direction than the total score of the test.