Here’s an interesting fact. Studies show that people need three positive emotions to balance out just one negative emotion. In fact, people who are clinically diagnosed as having mild depression still may have more positive emotions versus negative ones, but the negative ones weigh more heavily and tip the balance. It’s not a 1:1 scale but a 3:1 scale.
Considering our evolution, this makes sense. Our brains were designed to be negative because doing so helped us survive in the wild. A negativity bias helped us be somewhat paranoid which, back in our cave-dwelling days, was extremely beneficial. It helped thwart potential danger and shift us into problem-solving mode that made us more resourceful and resilient.
And truth be told, this negativity bias still helps us today. Worrying, for example, can help us remember to check the car license plate before we get into an Uber car or the expiration dates before we consume something in our pantries that might make us ill. When we feel the hairs on the back of our neck raise ever so slightly when we meet someone for the first time who we just get an odd sense from, we want to pay attention and stay alert, even if our sixth sense might not always be correct at times.
Yet, positive emotions play a role too – and an important one at that! While our negativity bias may have be essential for our survival, positivity is essential for our “thrive-al”. That is, we need positive emotions to be able to thrive and be successful in the world.
Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson took the 3:1 scale one step further. It isn’t just that we need three positive emotions to offset just one negative one. Through her research, she was able to show that at that ratio and beyond, a magical phenomenon seems to occur that eventually came to be known as the “Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions.” When someone begins to have greater positive emotions and the balance tips toward the other way, an upward spiral seems to occur. Positivity begins to beget more and more positivity, and one’s focus “broadens” rather than narrows, creating a lens where you’re able to see more silver linings and opportunities in your life.
In practice, this may look like someone is just being “lucky” or having opportunities always knocking at their door when in reality, it’s more accurate to say that they have reached a tipping point in their ratio where they are able to be more mindful and “see” possibilities that a person who is not quite at that same critical psychological ratio might not be able to detect.
So how can you tip the balance more in your favor? It’s not as simple as reciting “affirmations” like SNL’s Stuart Smalley’s “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.” But it’s also not that complicated either.
Next week, we’ll talk about specific strategies you can take to ensure your positivity ratio is trending upward. Be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already to get our latest content.