18/03/2026
Ever receive a dozen glowing compliments, but you spend the whole night obsessing over one piece of criticism? Don't blame your personality—blame your ancestors! This is the Negativity Bias. Evolutionarily, our brains are hardwired to prioritize "threats" (the bad stuff) over "rewards" (the good stuff) to keep us alive. In the modern world, this means we naturally over-focus on our mistakes, flaws, and anxieties. The Takeaway: It takes intentional effort to register a positive experience. Psychologists suggest that to "balance the scales," we need to hold onto a positive thought for at least 15–20 seconds for it to actually "stick" in our long-term memory.
Clinic Care Note: This bias is why many people come to us feeling like "everything is wrong." Our Psychological Assessments are designed to be strengths-based. We don't just look for what’s "broken"; we objectively identify your cognitive and emotional strengths—the ones your Negativity Bias might be making you overlook.
