Why Do Negative Events Leave a Deeper Mark?
You wake up one morning to good news. Then, a few hours later, you receive criticism—and that negative criticism becomes the only thing you can think about for the rest of the day. Why?
Why do the negative events we experience leave such a deep impression? Why does a situation in which we fail stick in our minds more than positive ones?
The answer lies in a concept from cognitive psychology known as negativity bias.
What Is Negativity Bias?
Negativity bias is the human mind’s tendency to pay more attention to negative information and recall it more easily. Simply put, bad events and negative experiences leave a deeper imprint on our memory than positive ones.
This phenomenon isn’t just emotional—it significantly influences our learning, decision-making, and cognitive processes.
An Evolutionary Explanation
From an evolutionary standpoint, negativity bias may have played a key role in human survival. Ignoring a dangerous situation could have led to fatal consequences, so being more alert to threats and negativity gave our ancestors a survival advantage
(Bratslavsky et al., 2001).
Impact on Decision-Making Processes
This bias affects how we evaluate risks and make choices. It causes us to overestimate potential losses and underestimate gains. In their renowned study, Kahneman and Tversky (1984) found that people feel more pain from losing $50 than pleasure from gaining $50.
Molins et al. (2022) showed that negative information increases caution and loss aversion, leading to non-rational but protective decision-making patterns.
The Power of Negativity in Memory
Negative events aren’t just stronger emotionally—they are more deeply encoded in memory. According to Robinson-Riegler & Winton (1996), the brain processes negative material more thoroughly, which makes it easier to recall later.
Supporting this, an fMRI study by Kark (2020) revealed that negative stimuli activate stronger neural patterns, and these memories can be reactivated even 24 hours after the event.
This explains why a single negative comment or failure may stay with us far longer than multiple positive ones.
Developmental Changes in Negativity Bias
Interestingly, negativity bias appears very early in life. Newborns tend to focus more on negative facial expressions (Farroni et al., 2007). This sensitivity increases during adolescence, a period characterized by emotional intensity.
However, the pattern shifts with age. Younger people tend to remember socially negative images better, whereas older adults prefer positive, non-social images (Hess et al., 2013). This suggests that a positivity effect develops over time as a mental coping mechanism.
How Negativity Bias Affects Daily Life
The effects of negativity bias extend beyond the individual. It can influence our relationships, especially romantic ones. While positive experiences create short-term satisfaction, negative memories tend to dominate long-term perceptions (Huston & Vangelisti, 1991).
In some cases, a single unresolved negative event can outweigh countless positive interactions, potentially harming the relationship.
What Can Be Done?
Although negativity bias served us in evolutionary terms, it can be mentally harmful in today’s world if left unchecked.
To build psychological resilience, it’s crucial to:
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Develop awareness of our bias toward negative information,
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Consciously recall positive memories,
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And process uplifting experiences as intentionally as we do negative ones.
For a deeper dive into this topic, check out:
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The Emotional Brain by Joseph LeDoux (neuroscience),
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Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (cognitive psychology).
Remember: while the brain stores the bad to protect us, we heal by remembering the good.
RESOURCES
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Bratslavsky, R. F., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad Is Stronger Than Good. Review of General Psychology, 5(4), 323–370.
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Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1984). Choices, Values, and Frames. American Psychologist, 341–350.
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Molins, F., Martínez-Tomás, C., & Serrano, M. Á. (2022). Implicit Negativity Bias Leads to Greater Loss Aversion and Learning during Decision-Making. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19(24). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192417037
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Robinson-Riegler, G. L., & Winton, W. M. (1996). The Role of Conscious Recollection in Recognition of Affective Material: Evidence for Positive-Negative Asymmetry. Journal of General Psychology, 123, 93–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221309.1996.9921263
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Farroni, T., Menon, E., Rigato, S., & Johnson, M. H. (2007). The Perception of Facial Expressions in Newborns. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 2–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405620601046832
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Hess, T. M., Popham, L. E., Dennis, P. A., & Emery, L. (2013). Information Content Moderates Positivity and Negativity Biases in Memory. Psychology and Aging, 28(3), 853–863. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031440
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Huston, T. L., & Vangelisti, A. L. (1991). Socioemotional Behavior and Satisfaction in Marital Relationships: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 721–733.