The Cognitive Perspective
Michael J. Walk
University of Baltimore
November 28, 2006
APPL 605.185
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The Cognitive Perspective
A revealing test of the social value of a psychotherapeutic theory is its applicability to
some of the societal travesties of the present and past. How well a theory can be used to describe
or explain international tragedies such as the Holocaust, wars, and genocides as well as
interpersonal calamities such as partner abuse, work-place feuds, rape, and adolescent
delinquency is a good indication of its significance. In Beck’s (1999) Prisoners of Hate,
cognitive theory is applied to the phenomenon of hostility and conflict on an interpersonal as
well as international scale. Because cognitive theory can be so readily applied to issues well
beyond the intrapsychic, it has become my choice system of psychotherapy. In this paper, I will
briefly explain the main tenants of Beck’s Prisoners of Hate and describe how Prisoners of Hate
corresponds with my preferred system of psychotherapy, cognitive theory.
The Main Tenants
The main idea behind the entire book is that hate, in all of its various forms (i.e.,
interpersonal and international) can be explained by using cognitive theory. And not only can
hate be understood, it can also be fixed, attenuated, and even prevented by using the tools
provided by cognitive psychotherapy. Beck argues that anger and hostility are products of
several interacting factors. The first is our biological predisposition, when aroused by danger or
pain, to exhibit “primal thinking” (p. 73). This primal thinking is characterized by dichotomy,
egocentrism, and absolutism. This thinking is present in the street gang member who sees the
rival gang as all evil and his gang as perfect. It is present in the husband who sees his wife as a
perpetual nag attempting to sully his perfect manly image. It is present in the nation or culture
who perceives the out-group as deleterious to the well-being of the righteous in-group.
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A person’s response to a noxious event depends on his or her interpretation of it.
Cognitive schemas influence interpretations; therefore a negative frame of mind can extremely
bias incoming environmental information causing erroneous judgments and inappropriate
reactions. By assessing the cognitions underlying individual or group perceptions of reality, one
can understand hostile behavior. And by wisely using the power of reframing and cognitive
restructuring, hostility and violence between couples and between nations can be reduced or even
halted.
My Preferred System as it Relates to the Book
Given that Beck is both the author of Prisoners of Hate and one of the principle founders
of cognitive therapy, my preferred system of psychotherapy is completely congruent with that
which is provided by the book.
I agree with the foundation Beck provides upon which to evaluate anger, hostility, and
violence at all levels of societal interaction. Beck correctly argues that much interpersonal
conflict is directly related to the cognitions that interpret reality. Biologically, the mechanisms
for making quick decisions in times of duress were adaptive to human ancestors but can prove a
disadvantage in today’s complex social environment. Partners in any conflict each have a unique
set of cognitive schemas and rules. These schemas correspond to and are intertwined with not
only biological (i.e., evolutionary) but also philosophical and perceptual mechanisms. For
example, a husband and wife may enter into a bitter conflict ignited by a single comment simply
because the cognitions interpreting reality and triggering responses are fixed fallacies or
inappropriate beliefs. As communications are relayed between individuals, previous hostilities
bias future interactions, reinforcing the negative images each partner has of the other. As
physical arousal increases, rationality decreases, and each partner will resort to primal thinking,
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contributing to their respective I’m-all-right-and-you’re-all-wrong perceptions. It is these fixed
perceptions of the self as righteous and the other as evil that can eventually undermine the moral
restrictions on violence and murder. In fact, the image of the other as harmful or dangerous can
lead to the perceived imperative to eliminate the other.
However, interpersonal relations are not the only phenomena understood by cognitive
theory. In addition to the Beck’s system of cognitive psychotherapy, I agree with Beck’s
cognitive system to understand group conflict (e.g., racial, religious, or otherwise philosophical).
Groups function by many of the same rules that govern two-person conflict. Biased perceptions
and irrational cognitions play a central role in perpetuating hostility between groups and
provoking them toward violent action. Analogous to interpersonal violence and murder, group
murder and violence can be traced to the cognitive images of the in-group as a blameless victim
and the outsiders as the anathematized disease threatening the in-group’s health and safety.
Beck’s interpreting specific historical events—including the Holocaust, Pol Pot’s regime, the
Spanish-American War, the Rawandan genocide and others—from the perspective of cognitive
theory is parallel to my own perceptions of historical malevolence. His historical analysis
provides a much-needed psychological interpretation of these events and the human capacity for
atrocity.
However, it is important to note that cognitive theory not only applies to the negative
aspects of human existence, it also addresses positive human behaviors such as altruism, justice,
and empathy. I find valid Beck’s assertion that these positive behaviors are rooted in the same
cognitive mechanisms as their negative counterparts. And he correctly argues that one of the best
ways to negate hatred is to enlighten the masses to the correct cognitive understanding of these
pro-social behaviors, making them expansive—applicable to humanity in general rather than
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particular sub-groups, certain individuals, or the singular self. Also, by teaching individuals
about their own cognitions and tendency for mental errors, they can learn to correct their own
mistakes and prevent complicated misunderstandings.
Beck accurately and insightfully plumbs some of the most confounding aspects of human
behavior from the cognitive perspective, which is my preferred system of psychotherapy. This
system portrays humans as neither inherently evil nor, on the opposite extreme, bastions of
unlimited positive potential. Rather, humans are seen as organisms that, out of social necessity,
need to make judgments about events and reality. These judgments are often flawed because of
cognitive errors that taint incoming information. These flawed judgments are the origins of
intrapersonal problems, interpersonal conflicts, and international belligerence. A theory that can
interpret micro- and marco-level disruptions to healthy functioning is valuable indeed.
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References
Beck, A. T. (1999). Prisoners of hate: The cognitive basis of anger, hostility, and violence. New
York: HarperCollins Publishers.