“Only bad news are good news” is a well-known phrase among media professionals. He describes the psychological phenomenon that negative news generally attracts more attention than positive news. The human brain is evolutionary biologically trained to pay more attention to dangers. To put it simply: It is more important to know where the saber-toothed tiger hangs out than where the delicious berries grow.
Study shows: Bad news is more likely to be consumed than positive news
A study published in 2023 in the journal “Nature Human Behavior” by the Justus Liebig University of Gießen and New York University examined the influence of negative wording on the click rates of online news. The researchers found that negative terms in news headlines led to higher click-through rates – and positive ones reduced the click-through rate. “For an average news headline, each additional negative word increased the click rate by 2.3 percent,” say the scientists. In other words, negative wording in a headline leads to more clicks than if the same message were worded positively.
So many people are more attracted to bad news. There are definitely good ones, though. Here we constantly collect positive reports that, despite all the conflicts and crises, give hope that the world is not yet lost. Rescues, problem solving and anything that can make people feel good. Click through our photo gallery.
Sources: Study on the influence of negativity on news clicks
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