Negativity drives online news consumption (nature.com)

Article summary

A study analyzing online news consumption found that negative words in news headlines increase click-through rates, while positive words decrease them. The study used a large dataset of viral news stories from Upworthy.com and employed randomized controlled trials to estimate the effect of negative and positive words on news consumption. The results suggest that humans preferentially attend to negative stimuli, which may be due to negative information being more 'sticky' in our brains. This tendency can drive online news consumption and engagement.

Main themes

• online news consumption
• negativity bias
• human psychology
• escapism
• news presentation
• happiness and stress
• loss aversion
• alternative news models
• catastrophic events
• power and control

What commenters say

• Some people consume negative news as a way to distract themselves from their own problems or to feel a sense of connection with others who are also experiencing difficulties.
• Happy people tend to have full lives and are less likely to consume news, while those who are unhappy or experiencing difficulties may seek out negative news as a way to cope.
• The desire for catastrophic events or societal collapse can be a form of escapism or a way to reset one's personal problems, but this attitude can be harmful and unproductive.
• Cutting out news consumption can lead to increased happiness and reduced stress, as it eliminates exposure to upsetting or disturbing information.
• People's attraction to negative news may be related to loss aversion, a psychological phenomenon where the fear of loss is more motivating than the promise of gain.
• The way news is presented and consumed can contribute to a culture of negativity and pessimism, and alternative forms of news consumption, such as subscription-based models, may offer a more contemplative and nuanced approach.
• Some individuals believe that they will be better off after a catastrophic event, but this attitude can be rooted in a lack of power or control in their current lives.
• The study's findings may be limited by its methodology and data sources, and more sophisticated tools and approaches may be needed to fully understand the complex dynamics of online news consumption.