Aim: To compare the amount of 'positive reinforcement' received by depressed and non-depressed participants.
Sample: 30 p's diagnosed with depression, another disorder or 'normal' controls.
Procedure: Over 30 days p's completed a self-report on pleasant activities and a rating scale on depression. P's checked their mood daily using the Depression Adjective Checklist, the p's checked emotions they felt that day. They also rated 320 activities on the Pleasant Activities Checklist, this was done twice; once for pleasantness and once for frequency.
Findings: Significant positive correlation between mood ratings and pleasant activities.| More pleasant activities resulted in more positive mood ratings.| Individual differences were present suggesting there is more to depression than reinforcement from pleasant activities.
Conclusions: Appears to be a link between reinforcement from pleasant activities and mood, but further research is needed to identify the individual differences that make some people more influenced by pleasant activities than others.
Criticisms: Self-report method - good and bad, individual differences, lack of usefulness.
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