'In reflecting on this book, I realised that I know of no comparable attempt to describe such a comprehensive, unified theory of cognition and emotion. It is particularly impressive in the way it combines a vision for what phenomena need to be explained with an attention to the specific detail of the mechanisms needed to explain them. Overall, it is characterised by a sympathy for the reader for whom many of the concepts may be unfamiliar.' - J. Mark G. Williams (University of Bangor) in Cognition & Emotion, 1994
'This book represents a most impressive achievement. It is clearly the most sophisticated cognitive account of depression available, and the first to be integrated with a general model of cognitive functioning.' - Chris Brewin, Royal Holloway University of London
'This thought provoking text describes a cognitive model which attempts to encompass all aspects of information processing in depression. This is a feat that current explanations have been unable to achieve.' - Lynn B. Myers in The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
Part 1: The Problem, Some Evidence, Previous Answers. Negative Thinking and Depression. Effects of Depressed Mood on the Accessibility of Autobiographical Memories. Bower's Associative Network Theory of Mood and Memory and its Applications to Depression. Evaluating the Associative Network Model of Mood Memory. Part 2: The Interacting Cognitive Subsystems ICS Approach. The ICS Framework. Two Levels of Meaning and their Interaction. ICS and Emotion. Part 3: ICS and Mood-Congruous Cognition in the Laboratory. ICS, Mood and Memory. ICS and Mood-congruous Memory. Mood Effects on Evaluative Judgement. Part 4: Negative Thinking and the Maintenance of Depression. The ICS Account. Negative Thought Production and the Maintenance of Depression - The Evidence. ICS and Self-regulatory, Motivational Models of Depression. Part 5: ICS, Depression and Psychological Treatment. ICS and Beck's Cognitive Theory of Depression. Psychological Treatment for Depression - the ICS Perspective. Part 6: Afterword. Applicable Theory - A Puzzle in Three Dimensions.