Modulating the Value of Positive Feedback Does Not Influence Expectation Change in Major depression – What Can be Learned from a Failed Replication?

Depression is related to a reduced update of negative expectations in response to positive information. Here, we aimed to replicate that cognitive immunization (a cognitive devaluation of expectation-disconfirming information) modulates expectation updating in depression. Further, we examined how other cognitive factors (i.e., memory, interpretation) relate to cognitive immunization.

We examined 139 inpatients (18–75 years) diagnosed with major depression. Participants completed a false-feedback task, in which they received unexpectedly positive standardized feedback. Cognitive immunization was manipulated via text that framed the feedback as particularly valid vs. invalid, relative to a distraction-control group and a no-instruction control group.

There were no significant group differences in expectation updating. One interpretation questions the effect of the manipulation of cognitive immunization, which was not successful according to the manipulation check. The experimental conditions did not differ in their memory or interpretation of the feedback. However, negative interpretations were associated with elevated cognitive immunization.

Our study failed to replicate that cognitive immunization modulates expectation updating in depression - most likely due to the failure of the cognitive immunization manipulation. Future research may need to use a stronger and easier to understand manipulation (e.g., video instead of text; simpler wording) to modulate cognitive immunization successfully.