Catastrophizing in Our Communication
Catastrophizing is when people think that something, someone or a situation is way worse than the evidence and reality reveals. It is a cognitive distortion, or “an exaggerated pattern of thought that’s not based on facts,” according to Psych Central.
So in what is this misperception, false belief and overreaction rooted?
Why do we, generally speaking, catastrophize in our communication, whether as the general public or in the media?
Bayu Prihandito
“It’s undeniable that we’re seeing an uptick in doom-and-gloom narratives,” says Bayu Prihandito, founder and CEO at Life Architekture. “While there could be multiple contributing factors, I believe key psychological aspects are worth considering:
Negativity Bias: As humans, we're evolutionarily wired to pay more attention to potential threats, a mechanism that helped our ancestors survive. This bias towards negative information can drive us to catastrophize more, as we’re attuned to potential dangers.
Uncertainty and Control: Catastrophic thinking often emerges when we face uncertain situations or feel a lack of control over outcomes. Amidst global crises and rapid societal changes, it’s understandable that many people are feeling uncertain about the future, which may be reflected in our communication.
The Role of Media: Media outlets, including social media, can amplify these tendencies. News that triggers strong emotions, such as fear or anger, is more likely to be shared and discussed, creating a feedback loop that reinforces catastrophic narratives.
Social Contagion: Emotions are contagious. When surrounded by catastrophic narratives, we may unconsciously adopt similar styles of communication. This phenomenon, known as social contagion, can amplify feelings of doom and gloom in our communities.
Howard Rankin
“The brain has limited energy, so we have many shortcuts that save time and energy but ultimately they are severely damaging to serious, open-minded consideration,” says Howard Rankin, Ph.D., author and specialist in psychology, neuroscience and behavior change. “These shortcuts have now been exploited leading to the use of many cognitive biases to justify anything we want.”
Appealing to anger is a strategy that works.
“This tendency has been exploited by marketing experts, who using tools like neuromarketing, try to identify how to engage people emotionally. Unfortunately, most of the time the ‘best’ way to do that is to make people angry and this leads to polarization and extreme views.
“There are alternatives, like effective communication that resonates for the right reasons, but it is much easier just to piss people off,” Rankin says.
This manipulative strategy however, he points out, comes with consequences to our collective psychology and communication.
“This gets people into the habit of simplistic binary thinking, and then to conspiracy theories. We are being trained not to think sensibly but in an absurd binary way,” Rankin says.
“This extremism guides people to think in terms of absolutes, that something is either wonderful or disastrous,” he adds. “They can even view the exact same situation as wonderful or a disaster, depending on the players involved. See: politics.
“When you are bombarded with this sort of manipulation it has a subtle effect on your thinking habits.”
Marley Lumbard
“There’s an increasing frequency of doom and chaos because that is what sells,” says Marley Lumbard, executive director at Qulture Media. “We are in a money and views- driven society and if you don’t continue to grow your following — or make your financial goals — you’re likely to become obsolete.
“Unfortunately, good news just doesn’t travel as quickly as bad news, so many choose not to focus on it. Highlighting the negative things happening around us is a proven method to catch the attention of listeners and readers. It’s what we’ve seen the news do for decades and it is what ignites the emotional side of people.”
The greater access to creating our own media and accumulating followers leads to a lot of strong-opinion voices, many that resonate strongly with our inner-most feelings.
“Now that everyone has access to platforms where they can control their own narrative and garner their own followings, naturally, we’re experiencing an overwhelm of media that is exhaustingly negative,” Lumbard says.
“On top of that, we’re in a very politically fueled moment in history. There is a lot of money being spent on dividing the population, which is always done through negative messaging.”
There is encouraging news to consider.
“But there are a lot of people out there making content that is positive, educational and avoids any type of negative slant,” Lumbard says.
“The best way to try and filter out the feeling of doom you may be getting is to be intentional about the amount of time you spend consuming content, where it’s coming from and make sure you’re also following and listening to positive stories.”
There is a better way forward and away from our current tendencies.
“While it's crucial to acknowledge the challenges we face, it’s equally essential to balance our narratives with hope, resilience and optimism,”
Prihandito recommends. “By understanding these psychological dynamics, we can cultivate healthier, more balanced communication habits that serve our collective well-being.”
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