Mind WondersPlay

How Your Brain ThinksNegativity Bias

Why Bad News Sticks

One insult can outweigh a dozen compliments

Five people tell you what worked. One comment keeps playing in your head. What did your attention leave out?

You'll find out

  • Why the sharp comment sticks
  • What the full record shows
  • A fix you can make today

Why it matters

Take the useful part of criticism without letting one sentence decide how you see your whole day.

About 3 min6 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 40 · Zone 5

Play this lesson

Free to play in your browser or on iPhone

More in this zone

  1. 37ThinkingTwo Systems in Your HeadOne part of your mind is fast and sure of itself; the other is slow and lazy
  2. 38ThinkingThe Bat and Ball QuestionA bat and a ball cost $1.10; most smart people get this wrong
  3. 39PerceptionBelieving Is SeeingYour brain sees what it expects, then calls it proof
  4. 41Bias Blind SpotThe Mistake Everyone Else MakesWe spot bias in others easily and almost never in ourselves
  5. 42AttributionBlaming the Person, Not the SituationWhen others mess up, it's who they are; when you do, it's the situation
  6. 43OverconfidenceWhy Everyone Thinks They're Above AverageMost drivers say they're better than average, which can't be true
  7. 44Curse of KnowledgeThe Curse of KnowledgeOnce you know something, you can't imagine not knowing it
  8. 45ProbabilityThe Linda ProblemA more detailed story feels more likely, even when it can't be