Defences & distortions

Self-Righteous Cognitions

Self-righteous cognitions involve the conviction that other people should always act according to what the person themselves believes is right, and that failing to do so deserves criticism or punishment. This pattern tends to produce a harshly critical stance toward others, readily labelling them as 'stupid' or 'bad' for behaviour that simply differs from the person's own standards.

Illustration

A man becomes furious at a stranger who takes what he considers too long deciding what to order at a coffee shop, silently branding her 'inconsiderate and thoughtless' for an entirely ordinary moment of indecision that has nothing to do with him.

References

• Casey, P. & Kelly, B. (2019). Fish's Clinical Psychopathology, 4th ed. Appendix II, 'Defences and Distortions'.