Repertory grids were used to investigate self‐esteem and social perception in three groups: depressed in‐patients, non‐depressed psychiatric in‐patients and a general hospital control group. Depression was measured by the Beck Depression Inventory. Depressives had significantly lower self‐esteem and more negative social perception and negative feelings associated with ‘actual self’, as predicted by Beck's cognitive theory. Repertory grids are potentially useful tools for the development of cognitive theories of depression, and may also have a role in clinical practice using cogniti