Final answer:
Negative cognitive style is associated with a higher risk of depression, as it includes a tendency to interpret negative events in a way that promotes feelings of helplessness and low self-esteem.
Step-by-step explanation:
Researchers have found that a negative cognitive style is predictive of a higher vulnerability to depression. Studies have consistently shown that individuals who tend to interpret negative events in their lives as internal (due to their own fault), stable (unlikely to change), and global (affecting every aspect of their lives) are at an increased risk for developing depressive symptoms. This perspective aligns with the reformulated theory of learned helplessness, which posits that the type of attributions one makes for stressful events significantly impacts their likelihood of experiencing depression.
For instance, in the case of a student who attributes poor performance on a midterm to personal inadequacies (internal), believes that their abilities cannot be improved (stable), and sees this as indicative of broader incompetence (global), such a negative cognitive style could lead to a heightened risk of depression. Conversely, training in healthy attribution habits, such as recognizing the influence of external factors, the potential for change (unstable), and the specificity of the event, can reduce vulnerability to depression.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is C) It predicts higher vulnerability to depression.