The Power of Bad

byJohn Tierney, Roy F. Baumeister, Paul Bellantoni (Read by)

And How to Overcome It

Why does a bad impression last longer than a good one?
Why does losing money affect us more than gaining it?
What makes phobias so hard to shake?

The answer is the negativity bias - or in other words, the power of bad. As John Tierney and Roy F. Baumeister show, we are wired to react to bad over good. It makes sense in evolutionary terms, but in our modern world the lure of bad is, well, bad. It governs people's moods, drives marketing and dominates our news. It can explain everything from why wars start or couples divorce, to why we mess up job interviews or feud with neighbours.

But there is good news. By using smart strategies from new science, we can train our brains to get better at spotting our own negativity bias and even using its power for positive results. Properly understood, bad can end up being a force for good.

Illuminating

Daniel Finkelstein, Times

About John Tierney

John Tierney is the author of Willpower and writes the 'Findings' science column for the New York Times. His writing has won awards from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Institute of Physics.
Details
  • Imprint: Allen Lane
  • ISBN: 9780241446973
  • Length: 490 minutes
  • Price: £13.00
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