Understanding Cognitive Distortions
A worksheet for Grade 9 Social Studies students to learn about and identify common cognitive distortions and their impact on thinking.
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Understanding Cognitive Distortions
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. This worksheet will help you understand common cognitive distortions and how they can affect your perception and reactions.
Cognitive distortions are irrational or biased ways of thinking that can lead to negative emotions and behaviors. They are often automatic and can be difficult to recognize, but learning to identify them is the first step towards challenging and changing them.
1. Cognitive distortions are often and can be difficult to recognize.
2. Learning to identify cognitive distortions is the first step towards and changing them.
3. These irrational thought patterns can lead to negative and behaviors.
4. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of cognitive distortions?
They are rational
They are biased
They are often automatic
They can lead to negative emotions
5. Cognitive distortions are always easy to identify once you know what they are.
True
False
6. Briefly explain in your own words what a cognitive distortion is.
Match each cognitive distortion on the left with its description on the right.
7. All-or-Nothing Thinking
a. Believing you know what others are thinking without evidence.
8. Catastrophizing
b. Seeing things in black and white, with no middle ground.
9. Mind Reading
c. Expecting the worst possible outcome.
Use the word bank to identify the cognitive distortion described in each scenario.
10. 'Because I failed one test, I'm going to fail all my classes and never get into college.' This is an example of:
11. 'I feel anxious, so there must be something terrible about to happen.' This is an example of:
12. 'My friend didn't say hello to me, so they must be angry with me.' This is an example of:
13. Think about a time when you might have used a cognitive distortion. Describe the situation and the distortion you think you used.