Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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The Negativity Bias. We all know someone who is often negative about something. Then there are those who belittle or even overlook negative aspects. It is personality, but also the training of the mind to be positive. The Negativity Bias is an innate psychological tendency For humans to give more attention to negative experiences Than to positive ones of the same intensity. Basically it results from evolutionary survival For individuals living in a world of deadly threats. Missing the cue for a predator could mean death. Passing those traits down ensured the species' survival. Two-thirds of the amygdala's neurons scan for threats. Over-obsessing concerning one piece of constructive criticism, Juxtaposed with many positive occurrences is an example. Giving too much weight to an argument or listening to alarming news, Because one feels that is very important are also examples. People can also avoid beneficial life decisions For fear they might risk possible painful loss. To overcome this bias, savor the positive, Letting it linger in one's mind. Check if one's thoughts are factual or merely biased. Keep a written record of positive vs. negative things during the day. Seek out positive interactions rather than negative ones. Things may seem really bad, but upon examination, May not always be so. Another positive evolutionary survival trait that we still hold onto Is that when we saw flowers, it often meant Later fruit (food) to return to. Now, flowers are often only decoration. The 'us and them' fear developed early as a survival trait. Remember originally, humans were a weak, vulnerable species! Frank Maurer 3 July 2026 1640 Hours.