The human brain is wired to give more weight to negative information than to positive or neutral information. It is wired to focus on what’s wrong in your life and environment.
Negativity bias is thought to have evolved as a survival mechanism of the human brain. Historically, recognizing and reacting to negative or threatening stimuli was crucial for survival, as these could indicate potential dangers such as predators. It allowed humans to survive the challenges and risks of living in the wild amongst predators.
This evolutionary background has led to a predisposition for humans to focus on negative information, which persists even in modern environments where such immediate threats are less common.
An example of negativity bias is: You are hiking with friends. While enjoying the scenery, you suddenly see a rattlesnake. The snake immediately slithers away. However, when asked about the hike later, you remember the snake incident more vividly than the beautiful scenery.
Being aware of negativity bias and actively seeking positive information can help balance the disproportionate focus on negative events.
Negativity bias causes you to dwell on the negative, making bad experiences seem much more important than they really are. This, in turn, can impact your decision-making and the opinions you form about others.
Negativity bias is a cognitive bias where negative experiences have a greater impact than positive ones. While negativity bias is pervasive, it can be mitigated through mindfulness, gratitude and focusing on positive experiences.
References:
- Kassiani Nikolopoulou, What Is Negativity Bias, Scribbr.com, February 2, 2023. https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/negativity-bias/