Universität zu Köln

Alves, Hans, Koch, Alex ORCID: 0000-0002-6267-8066 and Unkelbach, Christian ORCID: 0000-0002-3793-6246 (2017). Why good is more alike than bad: Processing implications. TRENDS COGN. SCI., 21 (2). S. 69 - 80. LONDON: ELSEVIER SCIENCE LONDON. ISSN 1879-307X

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Abstract

Humans process positive information and negative information differently. These valence asymmetries in processing are often summarized under the observation that 'bad is stronger than good', meaning that negative information has stronger psychological impact (e.g., in feedback, learning, or social interactions). This stronger impact is usually attributed to people's affective or motivational reactions to evaluative information. We present an alternative interpretation of valence asymmetries based on the observation that positive information is more similar than negative information. We explain this higher similarity based on the non-extremity of positive attributes, discuss how it accounts for observable valence asymmetries in cognitive processing, and show how it predicts hitherto undiscovered phenomena.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Alves, Hans UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Koch, Alex UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-6267-8066 UNSPECIFIED Unkelbach, Christian UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-3793-6246 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-241979
DOI:	10.1016/j.tics.2016.12.006
Journal or Publication Title:	TRENDS COGN. SCI.
Volume:	21
Number:	2
Page Range:	S. 69 - 80
Date:	2017
Publisher:	ELSEVIER SCIENCE LONDON
Place of Publication:	LONDON
ISSN:	1879-307X
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Human Sciences Faculty of Management, Economy and Social Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Human Sciences > Department Psychologie Center of Excellence C-SEB
Subjects:	Psychology
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES; AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION; ILLUSORY CORRELATION; VALENCE ASYMMETRIES; NEGATIVITY BIAS; RECOGNITION; INFORMATION; ATTENTION; SIMILARITY; TRAIT Multiple languages Behavioral Sciences; Neurosciences; Psychology, Experimental Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/24197