Negative bias

As a species we have an in-built ‘negativity bias': a propensity to remember, cling to, and learn from negative experiences more readily than positive ones, according to neurology research.

It made sense that our earliest ancestors should be risk averse, but nowadays that bias is completely out of step with modern life. When a bad experience is highly unlikely to be life-threatening, a propensity to constantly rake up bad memories, see ourselves through a negative prism or belittle ourselves in a way we would never dream of doing to a friend can cause us to become unnecessarily fearful and depressed.