The Affective Forecasting Bias in Depressed and Non-Depressed Groups

Abstract

This study analyzed the influence of the affective forecasting bias on depressed and non- depressed groups. While the literatures on both affective forecasting and depression are robust, there are no studies to date which assess how the affective forecasting bias and the cognitive biases of depression might interact. The present study was able to replicate previous findings in the affective forecasting literature, where Forecasters predicted they would feel much worse after being rejected for a hypothetical date than did Experiencers who were actually rejected. The analyses of this bias in depressed groups failed, in part, due to insufficient group sizes. A preliminary potential moderator of the forecasting bias is reported and clinical applications are discussed.