How Negativity Bias Hijacks Your Attention
Ok, first the bad news. Your brain has a bias towards negativity. And oh boy, isn’t negativity readily available in the world today?!? You’re barely out of bed and haven’t finished your first cup of coffee and already you are surrounded with stimuli that reminds you the world is nearing its end. The worst part is that the human brain gives VIP access to bad news.
In the bias codex for the human brain, this is referred to as Negativity Bias. In a large cross-national experiment across 17 countries, researchers found that people showed stronger physiological responses to negative news than positive news, on average, although there were meaningful individual differences. We are hard wired to give higher priority to negative stimuli vs positive. As I usually say in my presentations; that doesn’t’ make you a bad human… it just makes you human.
But it does mean that you have to be very deliberate about what gets your attention as you are competing against and environment that is trying to force you to focus on certain things. Your informational diet is directly linked to your emotional diet.
How Positive Emotions Can Broaden Your Attention
Now for some good news. Introducing Barbara Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory. Research suggests that positive emotions such as interest, joy, hope and contentment can temporarily broaden attention and the range of thoughts/actions that come to mind, while repeated positive experiences may help build psychological and social resources over time.
Positivity isn’t just feeling nice. Positive emotional experiences can change the mode your brain and body are operating in after stress. So, it’s not about absorbing less reality but more about balancing your reality! That’s where I would like to help.
Our team has recently launched a free YouTube Channel. I wanted to create a positive place for information and inspiration. I want it to be somewhere where you can spend a few minutes feeding your brain something useful: perspective, possibility, human potential, practical neuroscience, and occasionally a reminder that humans aren’t quite as terrible as your newsfeed suggests.
I learned a technique a few decades ago that changed my life. As early as possible in the day, watch, listen or read something positive, uplifting, or motivational. Before accessing the manipulative social media barons or doomscrolling, spend time consuming something that inspires hope, gratitude, education or connection.
Think about daily giving your brain access to a healthier diet for which our channel can play a small part as one of your options. It’s this whole idea of Attentional Intelligence where we decide it is time for us to take back control over what our brains consume. Because what we pay attention to will quietly shape who we become.
Cheers,
John.
P.S.- We hope you will like and subscribe. 😊
About John: John F. Edwards, CSP, is a Leadership Futurist, former Fortune 100 leader, bestselling author, and executive development expert who uses applied neuroscience to accelerate leadership performance and prepare organizations for the future of work. With more than 30 years of global leadership experience, John specializes in leadership in an AI world, change leadership, executive presence, resilience, organizational culture, and brain-based performance strategies. A Certified Speaking Professional, a distinction earned by fewer than 18% of professional speakers worldwide, John combines neuroscience, storytelling, and practical business experience to equip leaders to think better, lead better, and build lasting success.
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