Why a Negativity Bias Might Influence Your Life (And What You Can Do About It)

Do you easily get affected by negative experiences more than positive ones? Juggling multiple roles and external pressures can make you particularly vulnerable to negativity bias. It may lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety, but the good news is that you can help overcome it.

What Is Negativity Bias?

Do you dwell on the bad, unpleasant life moments much more than pleasant ones? Do criticisms affect you more than compliments? You may have a negative bias, which is an individual’s tendency to register negative stimuli more readily than positive ones. 

This phenomenon explains why it’s hard to shrug off traumas and embarrassing experiences even if they happened a long time ago. For example, you may be having a fantastic day when a colleague reminded you of the awkward moment you had last year. You unconsciously find yourself rewinding that happening in your mind, feeling down again. When you get home and start journaling, you may think your day went bad despite having a pleasant day.

Negativity draws our attention, which is why if you’ll notice, news updates are often written negatively. This is not your fault, though — negativity bias is likely a result of evolution. Our ancestors had to pay attention to threats, as it was a matter of life and death. Those who paid more attention to dangerous things were more likely to survive.

Negativity Bias vs. Pessimism

It’s important to remember that negative bias isn’t the same as being a pessimist. Everyone experiences negative bias at some point, while pessimism is a more ingrained belief that things will always go wrong. Pessimistic people usually become annoyed with those who are optimistic and believe that positive things will come to an end.

How It Impacts Your Life

Negativity bias can affect how you think, feel and respond to situations.

1. Your Career

When you’re focused more on the negative, you may experience a fear of failure, which may hamper your growth. You may veer away from proposing new ideas, thinking they suck or your workmates won’t pay attention to it. Focusing too much on mistakes may mean missed opportunities.

Moreover, every feedback may come across as an attack on you, even when the intentions are pure. For example, when you have a strong negativity bias, you may engage in excessive complaining and spreading rumors, unconsciously contributing to a negative work culture.

2. Mental Health

Being more sensitive to negativity can impact your mental health. It can increase heart rates when a threat or fear is perceived and heighten startle responses, contributing to anxiety. A study also showed that persistent negativity may lead to depression and may impede them from seeking proper care. 

3. Social Life

Negativity bias can strain your interactions with others, impacting your relationships in various ways. For instance, you may fixate on the negative aspects of your friends and loved ones, overlooking their positive qualities. It may also lead you to assume the worst about those you don’t know yet. For example, if a friend doesn’t respond to your message right away, you may believe they’re ignoring you without even considering they’re just busy.

4. Romantic Relationship

You had an argument with your partner, and after that, you feel bad and start ruminating about their flaws. Instead of appreciating the good things they’ve done, their shortcomings and weaknesses are more magnified. Moreover, even after they apologize for a mistake, you may continue to bring it up and hold it against them. When negativity bias ensues, it can cultivate a toxic dynamic in your relationship.

5. Personal Life

Dwelling on negative things may affect your self-perception, well-being and quality of life. You may think you’re not good enough, leading to low self-worth. For example, instead of embracing your strengths, you may constantly criticize yourself for perceived shortcomings, preventing you from pursuing your goals. You may also develop impostor syndrome — the constant inability to believe your success is driven by your effort. This may lead to mental health issues like anxiety, depression and behavioral problems when left unaddressed.

How to Overcome Negative Bias and Encourage Positive Thinking

If negativity bias affects one or more aspects of your life, this is your sign to pause and reflect on your thoughts and actions. The good news is you can do things to challenge negativity bias and embrace a more positive outlook. Discover the following helpful strategies. 

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings

The first step is acknowledging your thoughts and feelings. Your brain is wired to overestimate threats and underestimate opportunities, which is a great way to ensure survival but an awful way to enjoy life. Recognizing that it’s all in the head and you can consciously ignore false alarms can help you move on from negativity bias.

2. Appreciate the Positive Experiences

This may be easier said than done, but it helps to celebrate good things in your life. Learn to be more present — take a morning stroll, engage your senses and soak everything in. Simple moments like this — or those spent doing things you love — can help bury negative thoughts.

3. Practice Gratitude

One of the best ways to train your brain to be more positive is practicing gratitude. It transforms your perspective, allowing you to recognize the beauty and abundance surrounding you. You can practice it in many ways. For example, you can vocalize your gratitude affirmations every morning in front of your mirror or start a journal so you have something tangible to return to whenever you feel negativity seeping in.

4. Exercise

Exercise is good for your physical and mental health. It lets your brain focus on the activity rather than on negative thoughts. Studies show that regular exercise can help reduce depression better than medications, which often come with unpleasant side effects.

5. Spend Time With Positive People

Hanging out with negative people can fuel bad thoughts. Manage your energies and spend time with people who uplift you and make you see the world in a more positive light.

6. Challenge Negative Thoughts

When negative thoughts hit you, stop and ask yourself questions like:

• What evidence do I have to support to have against this thought?
• Are there possible explanations for why I am having this thought?
• Am I acting based on my emotions or the reality of the situation?

Asking these questions isn’t a sure-fire way to stop negativity bias. However, they give a more realistic perspective of a situation.

Take Control of Your Thoughts

Negativity bias is a common hurdle, but it doesn’t have to control your life. Now that you understand how it can potentially affect your life, you can rewire your brain to cultivate a more positive mindset.