Why is the feeling after losing $100, stronger than the feeling after winning $100?
In: Biology
Evolutionary brain geared towards survival is designed to detect threats and danger and therefore negative experience is like velcro and positive is like teflon. All based on evolution and survival
It’s called [Loss Aversion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_aversion), and is a cornerstone of behavioral economics.
Losing something you already have impacts your life more than getting another of that thing.
Lose your house, you’re homeless. Huge impact on your life. Someone gives you a house, it’s a big impact, but having an extra house is nowhere near the same level of change as being homeless.
Has been shown in animals that being cheated is more intense than being rewarded.
Life remembers negative reinforcement. Positive things don’t make us learn. Animals that don’t remember bad things will die of something similar .
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