Dichotomous Thinking: Deconstructing a Cognitive Distortion

Описание: We're looking at a theory that redefines cognitive distortions through three key concepts.
The focus is on "all-or-nothing thinking," which psychologists call dichotomous reasoning.
According to this framework, we all have a "reference class"—basically, whatever we're evaluating.
Think of it as the set of events in your life, your personality traits, or future possibilities.
Then there's "duality"—the poles we judge things by, like success/failure or good/bad.
The "system of taxa" is your mental filter, like a personal rating scale.
A healthy scale has many degrees, say 11 levels from worst to best, with neutral in the middle.
All-or-nothing thinking breaks this scale entirely.
Instead of using the full range, you only recognize the extreme ends.
Something is either perfect or a total disaster—nothing in between exists.
The theory calls this only acknowledging the two extreme "taxa" of a duality.
This means you literally can't see the middle ground, even when it's there.
It's not just being dramatic; it's a systematic filter that eliminates nuance.
The paper argues this distortion is "general"—it can apply to anything you judge.
Whether it's your work, relationships, or self-worth, the pattern is the same.
You ignore progress, partial success, or minor setbacks.
The result? A worldview that's too rigid for reality's complexities.
This model is more precise than just labeling it "black-and-white thinking."
It shows how our mental classification system can become a prison.
Understanding this might be the first step to seeing the gray areas again.