MinimizationDownplayingtheimportanceof events.OvergeneralizationMaking broadinterpretationsfrom a singleor few events.Shouldstatements The belief thatthings ought tobe a certain way.Pressure we puton ourselves. “I need tolook cool infront of myclassmates.” anexample ofa shouldstatementFree!All ornothingthinkingThinking inextremes. It’seither all good orit’s all bad. Usingwords like“always” & “never”Catastrophizing Seeing onlythe worstpossibleoutcomes ofa situation.Disqualifyingthe positive Recognizing onlythe negativeaspects of thesituation whileignoring thepositive."Allpeoplewho____are____."an example ofovergeneralization"My dad isn'tanswering thephone. I bethe's been inan accident."an example ofcatastrophizingMagnification Exaggeratingtheimportance ofevents."I bet he saidthat just tomake memad."an example ofpersonalization“I feel like abad friend,therefore Imust be abad friend.” anexample ofemotionalreasoning.Fortune-telling The expectationthat a situation willturn out badlywithout adequateevidence. "I'm a goodperson, so badthings shouldn'thappen to me."anexampleof magicalthinking“ This isthe worstmistakeever.”an exampleofmagnification"I bet shehatesme."anexampleof mindreading“My mom isalways upset.She would befine if I didmore to helpher.”an example ofpersonalization"what I didwas nobig deal."an exampleminimizationEmotionalreasoning Theassumption thatemotions reflectthe way thingsreally are.“ I just knowI’m not goingto make theteam.”anexampleof fortunetellingMindreadingInterpreting thethoughts andbeliefs of otherswithoutadequateevidence."I wasawkwardyesterday. I'malways soawkward!"example ofemotionalreasoning &overgeneralizationMagicalthinkingThe belief thatour choiceswill influenceunrelatedsituations. PersonalizationThe belief thatone isresponsible forevents outsidetheir owncontrol.MinimizationDownplayingtheimportanceof events.OvergeneralizationMaking broadinterpretationsfrom a singleor few events.Shouldstatements The belief thatthings ought tobe a certain way.Pressure we puton ourselves. “I need tolook cool infront of myclassmates.” anexample ofa shouldstatementFree!All ornothingthinkingThinking inextremes. It’seither all good orit’s all bad. Usingwords like“always” & “never”Catastrophizing Seeing onlythe worstpossibleoutcomes ofa situation.Disqualifyingthe positive Recognizing onlythe negativeaspects of thesituation whileignoring thepositive."Allpeoplewho____are____."an example ofovergeneralization"My dad isn'tanswering thephone. I bethe's been inan accident."an example ofcatastrophizingMagnification Exaggeratingtheimportance ofevents."I bet he saidthat just tomake memad."an example ofpersonalization“I feel like abad friend,therefore Imust be abad friend.” anexample ofemotionalreasoning.Fortune-telling The expectationthat a situation willturn out badlywithout adequateevidence. "I'm a goodperson, so badthings shouldn'thappen to me."anexampleof magicalthinking“ This isthe worstmistakeever.”an exampleofmagnification"I bet shehatesme."anexampleof mindreading“My mom isalways upset.She would befine if I didmore to helpher.”an example ofpersonalization"what I didwas nobig deal."an exampleminimizationEmotionalreasoning Theassumption thatemotions reflectthe way thingsreally are.“ I just knowI’m not goingto make theteam.”anexampleof fortunetellingMindreadingInterpreting thethoughts andbeliefs of otherswithoutadequateevidence."I wasawkwardyesterday. I'malways soawkward!"example ofemotionalreasoning &overgeneralizationMagicalthinkingThe belief thatour choiceswill influenceunrelatedsituations. PersonalizationThe belief thatone isresponsible forevents outsidetheir owncontrol.

12 Common Thinking Errors - Call List

(Print) Use this randomly generated list as your call list when playing the game. There is no need to say the BINGO column name. Place some kind of mark (like an X, a checkmark, a dot, tally mark, etc) on each cell as you announce it, to keep track. You can also cut out each item, place them in a bag and pull words from the bag.


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  1. Downplaying the importance of events.
    Minimization
  2. Making broad interpretations from a single or few events.
    Overgeneralization
  3. The belief that things ought to be a certain way. Pressure we put on ourselves.
    Should statements
  4. an example of a should statement
    “I need to look cool in front of my classmates.”
  5. Free!
  6. Thinking in extremes. It’s either all good or it’s all bad. Using words like “always” & “never”
    All or nothing thinking
  7. Seeing only the worst possible outcomes of a situation.
    Catastrophizing
  8. Recognizing only the negative aspects of the situation while ignoring the positive.
    Disqualifying the positive
  9. an example of overgeneralization
    "All people who____ are____."
  10. an example of catastrophizing
    "My dad isn't answering the phone. I bet he's been in an accident."
  11. Exaggerating the importance of events.
    Magnification
  12. an example of personalization
    "I bet he said that just to make me mad."
  13. an example of emotional reasoning.
    “I feel like a bad friend, therefore I must be a bad friend.”
  14. The expectation that a situation will turn out badly without adequate evidence.
    Fortune-telling
  15. an example of magical thinking
    "I'm a good person, so bad things shouldn't happen to me."
  16. an example of magnification
    “ This is the worst mistake ever.”
  17. an example of mind reading
    "I bet she hates me."
  18. an example of personalization
    “My mom is always upset. She would be fine if I did more to help her.”
  19. an example minimization
    "what I did was no big deal."
  20. The assumption that emotions reflect the way things really are.
    Emotional reasoning
  21. an example of fortune telling
    “ I just know I’m not going to make the team.”
  22. Interpreting the thoughts and beliefs of others without adequate evidence.
    Mind reading
  23. example of emotional reasoning & overgeneralization
    "I was awkward yesterday. I'm always so awkward!"
  24. The belief that our choices will influence unrelated situations.
    Magical thinking
  25. The belief that one is responsible for events outside their own control.
    Personalization