Psychology of: The Negativity Bias

Now I know what you’re thinking. Enough time in this industry will turn anyone into a cynic. Being an Architect, an Engineer, or a General Contractor really takes a toll on your optimism and positivity when a three month project somehow takes two years, a guaranteed permit gets denied, or when you’re hit with more change orders than the project is even worth. I’m sure we would all love to have a sunny disposition even when the hard times come, but the fact is: it can be hard to be positive. One bad client interaction can ruin your whole week and even make the project feel tainted. Have you ever wondered why?

A big culprit in “stealing our sunshine” is actually our brain. Humans are wired to have a much higher sensitivity to negative things than positive. This is called the “negativity bias.” The evolutionary purpose of this bias is to keep us out of harm’s way. If something bad or dangerous happened to our ancestors they knew not to drink water from there again (or eat that berry, or set up camp in that location). The hard part is that bias is not limited to just keeping us out of harm’s way. Our slant towards negativity is prevalent in all aspects of our lives and relationships, whether we’re aware of it or not.

Some real world examples we can all relate to:

• You finally finish drafting your proposal and your computer crashes before your work is saved.
• Your dog chewed up your only pair of pumps before your presentation to the client.
• You got yelled at for something that is not your fault.
• Someone else takes credit and gets rewarded for something you did cradle to grave.

Is your skin crawling yet? Feel your blood boiling just a little bit? Same. Now let’s address it. In situations like the ones above, it can be unbelievably difficult to maintain a positive outlook. Just having one of these things happen could ruin your day and have you thinking about it all week. Much like everything else in life, there needs to be a balance between the positive and negative. Something to keep in mind is that because we are skewed so much more towards the negative, equilibrium is not one-for-one. The scientific community has adopted John Gottman’s ratio of 5:1. It takes about five positive actions, interactions, or results to even out one bad one. Gottman’s study focused on relationships and how to maintain a healthy and happy marriage, but this philosophy is applicable to the rest of your life.

Relationships are often one of our greatest strengths and allies in life. In a University of Virginia study, students were asked to estimate the steepness of a hill. Some participants were tested alone, others were tested when accompanied by a friend. The study found that those who had a friend with them viewed the hill to be less steep than those who were tested alone. The takeaway? Having a sense of comradery or friendship increases optimism and positivity. Feeling connected to your colleagues and teammates will help you take on those hard projects and imposing deadlines by making them appear to be less daunting. Creating and maintaining a support system will help you personally and professionally, whether that support system is comprised of coworkers, a mentor, a spouse or significant other, social friends, or a combination thereof.

So, no. There’s no easy, quick fix to having more positivity in your life or making those bad interactions any less bad. But, by being aware that there is this negativity bias and actively seeking out support and positive things, it will become easier to find that equilibrium and have a more positive experience overall.

The important thing is to be aware of this bias. Whether you have a bad interview experience, a rough onboarding, or an awkward interaction at a networking event, it’s important to keep those experiences in a wider context. The best decisions are made logically, not emotionally. So, if you’re having a really bad week think about why that is before you make a potentially career altering decision. Being mindful of this bias is how you overcome it.

I know this feels like a big ask, and a bit abstract, but you don’t have to (and shouldn’t!) go through any of it alone. These feelings are valid. There’s a reason why you can feel overwhelmed by a seemingly small thing. It’s called the negativity bias! Rely on your support system when the going gets rough. Designforce included. 🙂