The negativity bias is a cognitive bias that reflects the tendency to give more importance to negative experiences over positive or neutral ones of equal intensity. It highlights how negative thoughts, emotions, or social interactions significantly impact an individual's psychological state more than positive experiences. This can manifest in various areas including decision-making, memory, learning, and impressions of others.
For instance, in social situations, when forming impressions of individuals, people tend to prioritize negative traits over positive ones, leading to an overall negative impression, even if equal positive traits are present.
To overcome negativity bias, consciously focus on positive experiences, practice gratitude, and reframe negative thoughts to see the silver lining or learning opportunities in challenging situations.