How to Check Your Negativity Bias
Humans are hardwired to dwell on the negative, so make a point to fixate on the positive
I recently realized, after yet another day of my children arguing with each other just to stave off boredom, that I was walking around with my jaw clenched up tight. This was my default, even as my roses were blooming and the early summer weather could not have been nicer.
The past three months have been tough on everybody — but even in less stressful times, humans are prone to fixating on the negative. It makes sense; threats must be dealt with. But life has good moments too, and consciously choosing to see them, and really enjoy them, can change the experience of time. Often it’s as simple as noticing, “I am not unhappy now.” The noted moment can then be savored, rather than disappear.
Negativity bias is a well-known phenomenon in psychology. Adults spend more time looking at negative images than positive ones; they pay more attention to negative information when making decisions than positive information. Multiple studies find that infants have the same wiring; when their mothers convey fear about a toy, babies are less likely to play with it. This tendency to note the negative is no doubt how babies survive to become fearful — but living — adults.
