Beck's cognitive therapy posits that reality is shaped by what?

• A. Cognitive processes and interpretation
• B. Biochemical imbalances
• C. Unconscious conflicts
• D. Objective stimuli only

Answer: (A)

Beck’s approach centers on how we think about things. Our interpretation of events—our cognitive processes, beliefs, and automatic thoughts—shapes the meaning we assign to experiences and, in turn, drives our emotions and behavior. It’s not that the external event itself directly determines how we feel; rather, our mental processing of that event creates our reality. This is why CBT focuses on spotting and challenging distorted or unhelpful thoughts to change how we feel, even if the situation itself hasn’t changed. For example, receiving critical feedback can feel like a personal attack if we interpret it as a verdict on our worth, but reframing it as constructive information for growth changes the emotional impact.