Negativity bias
Negative things affect us more than positive things of the same intensity: we notice them sooner, they weigh more, and we remember them better.
What problem it addresses
Explains why one bad experience can erase several good ones and why errors weigh so heavily in how a service is judged.
An example
An illustrative example: a service that works well at four moments and fails at one.
The failure did not last longer than the other moments. Negative things simply weigh more in the balance.
Why it happens
Bad things catch our attention sooner.
We process them in more detail.
And they leave a mark that lasts longer.
Applications in design
Use it like this
Prioritize removing failures and moments of friction over adding extras.
Avoid
Using alarmist messages to grab attention.
Don’t fall for it
When judging something, also list what went well.
Bad > good
What the research says
After reviewing studies from very different domains, from relationships to learning, Baumeister et al. (2001) conclude that bad has a stronger effect than equivalent good.
Solid evidence. Rozin and Royzman (2001) reached the same conclusion by another route.
Connections
Authors and works
- 2001
Roy Baumeister et al.
Reviewed the evidence across many areas of psychology.
- 2001
Paul Rozin and Edward Royzman
Described the ways in which the negative dominates.
Sources
Academic reviews
- Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5(4), 323–370. View source: Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001)
- Rozin, P., & Royzman, E. B. (2001). Negativity bias, negativity dominance, and contagion. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 5(4), 296–320. View source: Rozin, P., & Royzman, E. B. (2001)
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