Freakonomics Radio Reasons to Be Cheerful (Ep. 417 Rebroadcast)
Aug 19, 2021
Roy Baumeister, a renowned social psychologist known for his work on willpower, teams up with David Byrne, the creative force behind Talking Heads, to explore the human tendency to focus on negativity. They discuss how this
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Worst Traffic in History
- John Tierney, as a young intern, sensationalized a traffic report.
- He used a quote from a possibly inexperienced officer to create a dramatic, but misleading, headline.
Negativity Bias
- Bad news grabs and holds our attention more effectively than good news.
- This "negativity bias" affects our relationships and worldview.
Power of Bad
- The negativity bias means bad events and emotions impact us more than good ones.
- Even successful people like David Byrne find themselves focusing on negative feedback.
