Breaking the Bias: Turning Negativity into Positivity

Imagine this… You received one negative comment on social media and you can’t stop thinking about it. Or you’ve been doing amazing at work recently but are fixating on that one small mistake. 

That’s because of negativity bias.  

Our brains are hardwired to pay more attention to negative events, learn more from negative experiences, and make decisions based on negative information more than positive data. Research suggests this negativity bias starts to emerge as early as infancy. Some studies also show that negative news is also more likely to be perceived as truthful, draws greater attention, and is seen with greater validity. Even financially, people have a stronger negative reaction to losing $20 than positive feelings they get for finding $20. 

This can take a serious toll on our mental health.  

Is this negative framing positive in any way? Actually, yes. Psychological research suggests that negative bias influences our motivation. We are more motivated by the threat of loss than the incentive to gain. For example, you may be more likely to complete a task when you’re more afraid of losing your job over gaining success.  

By practicing daily mental health habits, you can train your brain to become more positive through neuroplasticity. Using tools such as reframing, positive self-talk, and interrupting your brain’s rumination with things like going for a walk or listening to upbeat music.  

Because it takes more effort for positive experiences to be remembered, it’s important to savor positive moments and give them more attention.  

Read your social media comments, but only read the positive ones. Don’t let the nay sayers get you down!