"Our cognitive functioning, neural pathways, mindsets, and schemas are prewired to seek negativity. This negative view has led to our species survival, as early humans needed to be alert to potential dangers in their environment."
"This programmed disposition to seek what can kill or injure us drives a considerable portion of our behavior and is referred to as the negativity bias, or the unconscious, evolutionary focus of our brain to seek out negative information on threats."
"Contemporaneously, humans would fare much better by seeking more positive stimuli and reinforcement. This cognitive mismatch highlights the maladaptive discrepancy between our evolutionary brain responses and modern stressors."
Humans possess a negativity bias, an evolutionary trait that prioritizes negative stimuli for survival. This bias has historically helped avoid threats, but in modern contexts, it can result in cognitive biases and negative thought patterns. Acknowledging this tendency allows individuals to consciously seek positive alternatives, counteracting the detrimental effects of a negative focus. The negativity bias reflects a cognitive mismatch, where our evolutionary responses do not align with contemporary non-emergent stressors, suggesting a need for a shift towards positivity for better mental health.
Read at Psychology Today
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