Have you heard about negativity bias? It’s something that seems to be showing up frequently on social media and in pop culture recently. With the beginning of the new year, we often hear a lot of messaging that says things like “learn to stay positive,” and encourages people to focus on the positive as they ring in the new year. While this type of rhetoric can be problematic, it can be a beneficial change of perspective for people who struggle with negativity bias. In this blog, we’ll explore just what negativity bias is and how you can change your perspective to find more positives in your day-to-day life.
What Is Negativity Bias?
Negativity bias is the phenomenon that says it’s part of human nature to notice negative feedback more often and focus more readily on negative stimuli. Consider how much you agree with the following statements:
- I remember the worst thing that ever happened to me more vividly than my best experiences.
- I could quickly recall the last time someone insulted me, but I struggle to remember the last compliment I received.
- I assume that negative remarks are completely true, but I struggle to accept positive feedback or compliments.
- My emotional response during a negative experience is much stronger than my emotional response during a positive experience.
Most people will agree with all or most of these statements. This is what negativity bias looks like in everyday life.
Why Does Negativity Bias Happen?
Most researchers agree that negativity bias occurs as a natural result of human evolution. Consider the importance of paying attention to potential sources of danger in early human development when we lived in the outdoors and failure to see a threat could mean the difference between life and death. Today, negative stimuli don’t often include actually life-threatening occurrences, but after thousands of years of evolutionary reinforcement, we are still more likely to focus on these negative occurrences rather than the positive ones. Additionally, because our early ancestors were more likely to stay alive if they focused on negative feedback, the genes that made them more aware of these dangers were the ones most likely to be passed on to a new generation.
How to Combat Negativity Bias
As therapists, we often work with clients to start recognizing negativity bias and the way it impacts them on a daily basis. It’s remarkable how much this can help. Some of the strategies we recommend to combat negativity bias include:
- Recognize and modify negative self-talk. When you find yourself focusing on negative thinking and self-talk, stop the thoughts and change perspectives. Consider what you learned from a negative situation and how you can do something different in the future.
- Get moving. Going for a walk, making your bed, doing the dishes, or engaging in some other activity is a great way to quickly take your mind off negative thinking and shift perspectives.
- Start spending time focusing on the positive. At the end of every day, take a few minutes to think about every positive thing that happened during the day. Did you have all green lights on your commute? Get a nice compliment from a friend about your new shirt? Talk to a family member on the phone? Just think of every good thing you experienced and reflect on why you’re grateful for them.
Work with a Therapist for a New Perspective
We can all struggle with an overly negative perspective at times. If you’re having a tough time seeing the big picture and find yourself bogged down by negativity bias, therapy can really help you find a more balanced perspective. If you’re ready to learn more, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Cedar Counseling & Wellness.
