Positivity vs.

Negativity
Much of the information in the first 10 pages was
taken from “Kids are Hard-Wired to be Negative -
You can change that!” by Linda Stade

https://lindastade.com/overcoming-negativity-children/
Negativity Bias
The negativity bias is the phenomena by which
humans give more psychological weight to bad
experiences than good ones.

In fact, some researchers assert that negative

emotions have an impact close to 3x stronger
than positive emotions.
Negativity Bias
Back in our early evolution, there was so
much detail and information in our
environment that we focused on the
negatives…the threats.

No point focusing on the beauty of a

sunset only to be mauled by a sabre-tooth
tiger while you’re at it. It was a case of
survival of the most negative.
Negativity Bias
This attention to negative details has helped
determine the success of our species, but it has
also helped lead to the epidemic of negative
talk, depression and doom fatigue that we
experience in the 21st century.
Negativity Bias
As we have further evolved and predators and physical
threats aren’t as common, we have still maintained our
vigilance in identifying negatives.

When we meet new people we immediately assess whether

or not they are a threat.

Studies show that we look for negative traits in others and

even focus on faults in their appearance. We expend a lot of
brain activity processing those negatives and much less
attention and brain activity on positive features.
Negativity Bias
We experience negative emotions as more
powerful than positive emotions.

This means we hold on to hurt much longer than

joy.
Negativity Bias
We have more negative language than positive language
when describing emotions.

Write down all the positive emotions you can think of and
then the negatives. The negative list is likely to be longer.

Thoughts are trapped in language. To think positively, we

need to have positive words.

This means that we can actually think about negativity more

easily than positivity.
Negativity Bias
The closer we get to negative experiences the
more negative they become.

This potency change is not the same with

positive emotions. For example, the closer your
child gets to an exam the more frightened they
get. However, a party getting closer doesn’t
increase their excitement at the same rate.
 Negativity Bias
Neuroscientific evidence has shown that there is
greater neural processing in the brain in response to
negative stimuli.

Studies that involve measuring event-related brain

potentials (ERPs), which show the brain's response
to specific sensory, cognitive, or motor stimuli have
shown that the negative stimuli elicit a larger brain
response than positive ones.

In studies conducted by psychologist John Cacioppo, participants were

shown pictures of either positive, negative, or neutral images. The
researchers then observed electrical activity in the brain. Negative
images produced a much stronger response in the cerebral cortex than
did positive or neutral images.
 Negativity Bias
Due to this surge in activity in a critical information
processing area of the brain, our behaviors and
attitudes tend to be shaped more powerfully by bad
news, experiences, and information.
 Negativity Bias
So, considering the brain’s powerful response to
negative stimuli

Coupled with
Our society’s powerful marketing of negative
information

WE ARE SEEING EXTREMELY NEGATIVE

OUTCOMES!!
 Major Depression
by Age

This chart shows the diagnosis rate of change for major depression by age. 12-17
years olds rate of major depression increased by 63% in just 3 years - 2013 to 2016.
Ages 18-34 increased by 47%. Age 35-49 increase by 26% and above age 50
increase 23%. Why would it be that more children are impacted by this than older
adults?
 Overwhelm
College Freshman Survey
Are you overwhelmed by what is
expected of you?

1985 - 18% Yes

2000 - 28% Yes
2016 - 41% Yes

The American Freshman - 50 Year Trends-CIRP@UCLA

 Anxiety
Large surveys of Americans show:

● Substantially higher mental health

issues and physical symptoms
from surveys taken in 2010
compared with 1980 surveys

● Double the number have sought

help for mental health issues
What is the remedy?

Psychologists have identified two factors that can

save us from ourselves.

Professor Lea Waters is a psychologist and

president of the International Positive Psychology
Association (IPPA).

She says that the keys to overcoming negativity are

emotional contagion and the elevation effect.
 Positive Practice:
Emotional contagion means that we are able to
catch positive emotions from others.

If there are positive people around you, you are

more likely to be positive.

When someone smiles at you it actually takes effort

not to smile back, even if they are a complete
stranger.
 Positive Practice:
The elevation effect is the theory that we are
inspired to be better when we see other people
behaving in positive ways.

We can be inspired to be morally or physically

better.
 Positivity
APA is an oasis of POSITIVITY in a world of
negativity!!!

We are all responsible to make this true for our

students and for each other!!

WHY?

There are many benefits from being positive and

replacing negative thinking with positive thinking,
negative behaviors with positive behaviors.
 Positivity
Health benefits that positive thinking provide
include:

● Increased life span.

● Lower rates of depression.
● Lower levels of distress.
● Greater resistance to the common cold.
● Better psychological and physical
well-being.
● Better cardiovascular health and reduced
risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
 Positivity
Positive people:

● Are happier
● Are more confident
● Are more successful
● Are healthier
● Have more relationships
● Live happier lives
● Can more effectively see both sides of
situations
 Positivity

Our students depend on us to

create positivity in their lives!
 State of the World
Much of the negativity we are exposed to comes from media that is trying
to SELL US NEGATIVITY.

This gets our brain responding 3x as much as positive news, so that is what
the media outlets create.

They ensure EVERYTHING is negatively portrayed so they can

MANIPULATE US.

DON’T BE TRICKED!!!!
THINGS ARE BETTER NOW, FOR MORE
PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, THAN EVER IN
THE HISTORY OF MANKIND!!!
HERE ARE THE FACTS!!
 We are Healthier!

THIS SHOWS AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY RISING ALL AROUND THE WORLD
OVER THE LAST CENTURY TO CENTURY AND A HALF. OVER 70 YEARS
AVERAGE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AFRICA.
 We are Healthier!

THIS SHOWS THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO WERE BORN ALIVE, BUT WHO
DIED BEFORE AGE 5.
 Safer!

1988 UNTIL 2018 STEADY DECLINES IN VIOLENT CRIMES AND PROPERTY

CRIMES
 Safer,

THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE PERCENTAGES OF CHILDREN INVOLVED IN CHILD

LABOR (YELLOW) AND CHILDREN INVOLVED IN HAZARDOUS WORK (GREEN)
FROM 2200-2016. HAZARDOUS WORK DECLINED FROM 11% OF CHILDREN IN
2000 TO 4.6% IN 2016 - MORE THAN CUT IN HALF!
 Freer!

Purple - colony - under the control of a different country entirely(Guam)

Red - Autocracy - system of government with one person in absolute power (China,
North Korea)
Orange - closed anocracy - system where leaders are chosen from a small, closed
group of elites (Singapore)
Yellow - open anocracy - similar to closed anocracy but draws leaders from outside
the elite group (Russia)
 and more Prosperous than ever!

This slide shows the percentage of people living in extreme poverty in the world -
defined as having less than $1.90 per day in international dollars. Follow the red line!
East Asia and Pacific has gone from over 80% in 1981 to 3% or something similar
now. This is in less than 40 years!!! The black line in the middle is the world average,
which went from 42% to 10% in that short period of time. This is INCREDIBLE
progress. I remember the food campaigns of the 1980’s - and they still go on today -
which is a good thing and I support helping people have enough food to eat! But the
campaigns have had to change because starvation is becoming a non-existent thing
in developed countries. You can see the bottom blue line is the US - hovering around
1% since 1985. So the campaigns have now switched to words such as “hunger” and
“food insecurity”. It isn’t reasonable to say “children are starving in the US” anymore,
so the campaigns are all about “hunger” now. Still a good thing - we are supporting
people with food from many places in the US - food stamps, churches, food banks,
etc and the great news is that IT IS WORKING. Much better to be dealing with
hunger and not starvation! Sub-saharan Africa still shows 40% extreme poverty and
work needs to continue there. Their drought is producing starvation again this year,
and those numbers are rising. And others are helping! That’s the good news.
 and more Prosperous than ever!

This slide shows the gross domestic product per person - well over $50,000 in the
US. Just unbelievable. This doesn’t mean the average income is over $50,000 in the
US, it means if you divide the total revenues to the US businesses and organizations
and divide it among our number of population, it is over $50,000. It is clear why so
many people in the world want to come here to live. That’s a lot of money to be
spread around to our people, and almost 5 times as much as is available to the
people of China and India.
 Is Education struggling?

So let’s talk about the good news in education. If you were to listen to people talk and
read the media, you would think that education is a disaster. Utah is the lowest
funded state for education in the nation! Isn’t this a shameful thing?! THE LOWEST!
We must hate kids here and not think learning is important! We must hate teachers
here! And look at these scores from the most recent state testing! Doesn’t that seem
so horrible and low? These are the percent of students at proficiency on average.
 Not really.

But look at this! Since 1971, you can see that READING scores have been VERY
STEADY in the US! This is looking at 4th, 8th and juniors reading scores nationwide
over all that time. Our kids are not getting dumber. Our teachers are not less
proficient.
 Actually, no.

Same goes for math - where trends for 4th grade are going up, 8th grade is going up,
and juniors is steady. Makes you wonder if all the “pushing” in 4th and 8th really
matters as in the end, the numbers are extremely stable.
 In fact, in important ways,
Utah’s students are thriving!

This slide shows the states where 100% of the juniors are required to take the ACT,
and Utah’s ranking among them. Pretty AWESOME!!! TIED FOR FIRST WITH
WISCONSIN!
 UTAH’S STUDENTS RANKED AGAINST ALL
OTHER STATES

On the 2019 NAEP tests, Utah was ranked…

(National Assessment of Educational Progress)

Reading Math Science (2015)

4th Grade 4th! 5th! 6th!

8th Grade 4th! 7th!* 1st!

THIS IS WHAT WE ACCOMPLISH IN UTAH WITH THE

“LOWEST FUNDING IN THE NATION”

WOW WOW WOW! APA participates in these tests every two years when they are
given - it is a “random selection” of classes that participate.
Victory is in having done your best. If you’ve done your best, you’ve won.
Billy Bowerman
One small positive thought can change your whole day.
Zig Ziglar
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Optimism is a happiness magnet - if you stay positive, good things and good
people will be drawn to you.
Mary Lou Retton
Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.
Anthony J. D’Angelo
There are 3 kinds of days - good, great and terrific. You make the choice.
Richard Headlee