Anand witnesses a particularly bad argument between his parents. Among other things, his parents are arguing about whether his mother was too harsh in her punishment of Anand when he would not share a cookie with his sister. Anand thinks to himself, ÒIt's my fault my parents are fighting! If I had been better behaved, my parents would be happy.Ó Anand's thoughts are best described as an example of:
A) primary appraisal.
B) secondary appraisal.
C) self-blame.
D) sensitization.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Anand's thoughts are an example of self-blame, where he is blaming himself for his parents' argument and perceiving his own behavior to the cause of the problem. This is a common cognitive distortion in which an individual takes responsibility for something that is external to them.

Anand Witnesses a Particularly Bad Argument Between His Parents