How Does the Negativity Bias Change Our Perception?

Have you ever gotten really good feedback on a project, but then that one negative comment or review kept you up at night? 

Well you are not alone. We all experience this.

Negativity bias, also known as the positive-negative symmetry, happens because we are wired to feel the sting of rejection so much more than we are to feel the joy of praise.

How it Works: 

Our brains react this way due to an evolutionary response. Our ancestors took negative feedback seriously to survive in our wild world. 

Studies show that our bias towards negativity can begin as early as 3-4 months but most definitely by the end of the first year of life. 

A study done by psychologist John Cacioppo shows that negative images produce a measurably stronger response in the cerebral cortex than that of neutral or positive images.

Negative information causes a surge in activity in the critical information processing area of our brain. This means our behaviors and attitudes tend to be shaped significantly more by bad news, experiences and information.

To Summarize How Negativity Bias Changes Our Perception: 

• We will remember traumatic experiences better than we do positive ones. 
• We will remember an insult better than a praise.
• We will react more strongly to negative stimuli than positive. 
• We will think more frequently about negative things than positive things. 
• We will respond more strongly to negative events than to equally positive events. 

We are super critical of ourselves and others. We will remember all of the negative things that stick out. Besides the Halo Effect, this is another reason why we will remember a negative first impression and have trouble letting it go. 

The Effects of Negativity Bias:

• Motivation: After receiving negative feedback we may not want to continue on. 
• Bad News: Bad news can feel more truthful than positive news.
• Politics: Differences in how Negativity Bias affects different people had been linked to political ideology. Conservatives tend to have stronger psychological responses to negative information than liberals. Evidence shows, people who consider themselves conservative will find ambiguous stimuli more threatening than liberals. This many explain why some people value tradition and safety while others are more open to embracing change.
• Relationships: This bias will lead people to expect the worst in others, especially in close relationships with people they have known for a long time. An example is, you might negativity anticipate how your partner will respond to a situation and so you enter the conversation on high alert with your defense up. This inevitably leads to arguments and resentments.
• Decision Making Process: People often fear the consequences of the negative outcome more than they desire the potential positive gains, even when the two possibilities are equivalent.

How to Move Past Negativity Bias: 

1. In Relationships: Remember when you do get negative feedback, know that it will most likely stick in your head like a sore thumb. Do your best not to hold on to it, or resent your partner for bringing it up. The feedback can be a great tool for growth. 
2. Be Aware of Self-Negative Talk: Our inner critic can beat at us pretty hard when we get negative feedback. The best remedy for this is instead of spiraling down the rabbit hole of self-loathing choose to think about how you can avoid the situation in the future, or how you can do better, and focus your energy on doing better. Easier said than done, I know. It takes time and practice. 
3. Reframe the Situation: I tend to look at difficult situations as â€œgifts.” What is this negative feedback trying to teach me? What learning can I add to my life experience? 
4. Establish New Patterns: This bias will inevitably come up. When it does, what are things that can help uplift you? Maybe create a playlist for these moments and dance. Move the energy out of your system. Go outside and for a walk. Take a nice bath with meditative music in the background. 
5. Gratitude: Be present with great experiences. When we are experiencing something good, find the gratitude in your heart for that moment. Be thankful for your breath, for the moment, for the chance to be alive to experience it. This ingrains the experience in your mind.
6. For extra credit: Along the line of seeing difficult situations as gifts, try and dig deep to find gratitude for your negative experience. Obviously, this is touchy and will look different for everyone based on their experience. Remember, it’s extra credit. So if you are feeling bold and want to try it out for extra brownie points, go for it! 

Contemplation:

• What are a few protocols you can have in place for when the dreaded Negativity Bias rears its ugly head?

Please share your feedback in the comments. We can all use different tools for this bias! :)