What is it about?
This study looked at why people who are more vulnerable to depression often struggle to make decisions. Instead of just focusing on low mood or lack of motivation, the research explored whether “sticky thinking” — meaning thoughts that are hard to let go of — could be one reason why decision-making becomes difficult. The study used a simple reaction-time task and a mathematical model (called the drift-diffusion model) to understand how these sticky thoughts slow down the brain’s process of gathering information to make decisions.
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Why is it important?
Most research on depression focuses on sadness or lack of motivation, but people with depression also often feel stuck in their thoughts and struggle to make even simple decisions. This study shows that when thoughts are harder to shake off, it can slow down thinking and make decision-making less accurate. Understanding this helps us see depression not just as an emotional problem, but as something that can affect thinking patterns and mental flexibility — which could lead to better treatments in the future.
Perspectives
The study highlights a part of depression that’s easy to overlook — the struggle to move on from repetitive or sticky thoughts. This study suggests that improving mental flexibility and learning to "unstick" thoughts could be just as important as improving mood for people with depression. It opens up new ways to think about treatment, such as mindfulness or cognitive training, aimed at helping people shift their attention more easily.
Hang Yang
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: “Sticky” thinking disrupts decision making for individuals with a tendency toward worry and depression., Emotion, December 2024, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/emo0001449.
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