PhronesisDepressive rumination — defined by Nolen-Hoeksema as repetitive, passive focus on symptoms of distress and their possible causes and consequences — is a cognitive wrong attractor W_rumination in which the mind cycles through negative self-referential content without generating problem resolution or emotional regulation. We apply the Displacement Framework to formalize depressive rumination.
The adaptive reflection ground state S0_reflection is defined as purposive, bounded cognitive processing of emotional content that generates insight, resolution, or action. W_rumination arises when processing becomes recursive rather than progressive: thoughts return to the same content without movement toward resolution, deepening depression while preventing the behavioral engagement that would disrupt it.
Nine formal propositions cover: S0_reflection as purposive resolution-generating processing (P1), W_rumination recursive non-progressive architecture (P2), the dysphoria-rumination-dysphoria self-amplifying loop (P3), overgeneral autobiographical memory as basin-deepening mechanism — categorical retrieval preventing specific problem resolution (P4), the inactivity trap — rumination suppresses behavioral activation deepening depression (P5), default mode network hyperactivity as neural substrate of W_rumination (P6), brooding vs. reflective pondering — basin-deepening vs. boundary-zone variants (P7), cumulative Phi_rumination across depressive, relational, and functional domains (P8), and return paths including behavioral activation, MBCT mindfulness, metacognitive therapy, and problem-solving therapy (P9).
Gender differences in rumination and the brooding-depression relationship are analyzed.