Abstract
Individuals with depression often exhibit distortions in interpersonal perception and behaviour that are tied to negative expectations about social outcomes or interpersonal self-efficacy. These negative social expectations connect cognitive and interpersonal facets of depression and are linked to the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms. In this Review, we summarize how social expectations form and change in individuals with depression and how they shape the onset, course and severity of depressive symptoms by influencing interpersonal perception and behaviour. In particular, we address the question of why dysfunctional social expectations tend to persist despite contradictory evidence. Drawing from contemporary research on belief updating, extinction learning and prospection, we integrate several recommendations for preparing, implementing and following up on interventions that target the revision of dysfunctional social expectations in individuals with depression. We discuss whether differences in social expectations can explain the variability of interpersonal symptoms and symptom trajectories in individuals with depression, and suggest future research directions focused on exploring dynamic changes in response to the social environment.
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Acknowledgements
This research was mainly supported by the TAM Research Cluster (“The Adaptive Mind”, the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and the Arts). It was further stimulated by cooperation with the Collaborative Research Centers 289 (“Treatment Expectation”, the German Research Foundation, Project ID 422744262–TRR289), 393 (“Trajectories of Affective Disorders: Cognitive-Emotional Mechanisms of Symptom Change”, the German Research Foundation, Project ID 521379614–TRR393), and the LOEWE Center DYNAMIC (“The Dynamic Network Approach of Mental Health to Stimulate Innovations for Intervention and Change”, the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and the Arts, Project ID LOEWE1/16/519/03/09.001(0009)/98). Large language models were used exclusively for linguistic editing and were not used for literature research or content creation.
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L.K. wrote the original draft. All authors researched literature for the article, contributed substantially to discussion of the content, wrote, reviewed and/or edited the manuscript before submission.
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This work was conducted as part of the TAM Research Cluster (“The Adaptive Mind”), which brings together scientists from experimental psychology, clinical psychology, cognitive science and artificial intelligence to improve the understanding of how the human mind successfully adapts to changing conditions. This includes the role of social expectations in the progression of mental disorders. All authors of this article, with the exception of T.K. and M.B., are involved in the TAM Research Cluster. Moreover, M.B., B.S., D.E. and W.R. are involved in the LOEWE Center DYNAMIC. Additionally, L.K., B.S. and W.R. are involved in the Collaborative Research Center 393, and W.R. and D.E. are involved in the Collaborative Research Center 289. T.K. is closely connected to these projects through friendships with several co-authors and previous collaboration on the relevance of expectations in depression.
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Kirchner, L., Kube, T., Berg, M. et al. Social expectations in depression. Nat Rev Psychol 4, 20–34 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-024-00386-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-024-00386-x
