Health. Are we trapped by the negativity bias in our daily lives?

This cognitive bias influences our emotions, our memory, our decisions... and our daily happiness. The good news is that it's possible to limit its effects. But to do this, we must first understand it.

The negativity bias is first explained by our evolutionary history.

In a time when our survival depended on our ability to identify threats, it was better to be overly vigilant than blinded by optimism. Hearing a suspicious rustling and fleeing from a potential predator, even if it was just a squirrel, increased our chances of survival.

According to researchers Paul Rozin and Edward Royzman, this phenomenon is based on a fundamental asymmetry in our information processing.

In humans, the negative captures our attention more, is better remembered and influences our behavior more strongly.

Neuroscience research has confirmed this behavior by revealing that the brain reacts more intensely to negative stimuli.

For example, a brain imaging study showed that the amygdala, a key region in managing emotions, becomes more active when faced with negative images.

Negative bias in our daily lives

This bias is clearly evident in everyday life. We tend to remember bad news and negative events more easily, no matter how small.

For example, you'll more easily remember a customer's criticism than a colleague's compliment, a minor collision on public transport than a happy moment with your child. This mental filter gives you a partial view of reality.

This heightened perception of negative signals often leads people to believe that daily life is bleaker than it actually is. This can contribute to chronic stress, demotivation, and even sadness and depression in some cases.

How to get around this bias?

Recognizing and savoring pleasant experiences has been widely shown to sustainably increase well-being and psychological resilience. How can we do this?

Become aware of this bias. This is a good start in distancing yourself from it. Then, move on to the next step: cultivate gratitude and focus on the positive.

Like a muscle, our ability to perceive the positive can be trained. Keeping a gratitude journal or journal of small daily victories is a simple but effective tool.

Every evening, write down three pleasant things from your day: a smile, a success, a pleasant feeling... Studies show that this exercise, practiced regularly, significantly improves well-being.

Learning to slow down, to observe, to consciously savor pleasant moments also helps to strengthen their mental imprint.

This is what mindfulness offers, the effectiveness of which has been widely demonstrated in countering the effects of stress and recurring negative thoughts.

Source: Rozin, P., & Royzman, EB (2001). Negativity Bias, Negativity Dominance, and Contagion. Personality and Social Psychology Review - Emmons, R.A., & McCullough, M.E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.