Final answer:
The cognitive distortion in the statement is all-or-nothing thinking option (a), which involves seeing things in absolute terms without recognizing the nuances in outcomes. It is related to actor-observer bias and self-serving bias but stands alone in its extreme black-and-white categorization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cognitive distortion reflected in the statement "I always fail when I try to do something new; I therefore fail at everything I try" is all-or-nothing thinking option (a). This type of distortion involves seeing things in black-and-white categories. If a situation falls short of perfect, the person sees it as a total failure. This distortion is similar to the actor-observer bias where an individual attributes their own actions to external circumstances but assumes that others’ actions are due to their intrinsic qualities. It's also tied to the self-serving bias, where people tend to credit themselves for successes but attribute failures to external factors. However, those with all-or-nothing thinking may not always attribute the causes of failures externally and may simply view all attempts as failures without recognizing the nuance or learning that can come from the experience.
When looking at broader cognitive behaviors, seeking out information that supports pre-existing beliefs or stereotypes is known as confirmation bias. It is important to note that cognitive distortions often affect our perception and can lead to such biases when interpreting information or events.
The type of logical thinking that uses specific observations to arrive at a general conclusion is known as deductive reasoning. However, in this context of cognitive distortions, the reasoning is flawed as it is based on the distorted belief that if one fails at some things, they must fail at all things, which is not logically sound.