Global versus Specific Cognitive Measures and their Relationship to Assertion Deficits

Abstract

Assertion deficits are hypothesized to be due to either skill deficits or cognitive appraisal. Several correlational studies, however, have found only a modest relationship or association between assertion deficits and measures of cognitive distortion. This may be a consequence of utilizing measures of cognitions that are "global" rather than situation or problem specific (Mischel, 1968). This study directly compared the relative strength of association of global cognitive measures versus an assertion specific cognitive measure with assertion. The assertion specific measure was more strongly related to assertion skills as compared to the global cognitive measures. Implications for this finding is discussed.