The article discusses the concept of positive-negative asymmetry, focusing on the negativity effect, which refers to the greater impact of negative than equally intense positive stimuli on a subject. This effect is not isolated but part of a broader positive-negative asymmetry, reflecting normal adaptive functioning. The negativity effect is defined by the condition of 'equal intensity,' where the greater impact of a negative stimulus is not due to its intensity but its inherent negative nature. Two ways of comparing intensities are intercategorical and intracategorical. The negativity effect is not just a cognitive bias but also a behavioral-adaptive phenomenon, where individuals tend to approach the environment and form positive hypotheses about reality. This is linked to a positivity bias, which is functional to achieve positive outcomes in a world with more potential for negative outcomes. The negativity effect is also related to a sensitivity for aversive stimuli, leading to a subjective overemphasis of the negative. The article also discusses the informational negativity effect, where negative stimuli are more informative and lead to more complex cognitive representations. This is due to the objective anchoring of negative information, which resists assimilation and requires accommodative cognitive work. The article also addresses the discrepancy between affective and informational negativity effects, where weakly negative stimuli elicit the strongest informational negativity effects but fail to produce affective negativity effects. This is explained by the difference in coping modes: affective coping involves direct avoidance, while cognitive coping involves controlling the source of the stimulus. The article concludes that the negativity effect and positive-negative asymmetry are important aspects of human functioning, reflecting both cognitive and behavioral adaptations.The article discusses the concept of positive-negative asymmetry, focusing on the negativity effect, which refers to the greater impact of negative than equally intense positive stimuli on a subject. This effect is not isolated but part of a broader positive-negative asymmetry, reflecting normal adaptive functioning. The negativity effect is defined by the condition of 'equal intensity,' where the greater impact of a negative stimulus is not due to its intensity but its inherent negative nature. Two ways of comparing intensities are intercategorical and intracategorical. The negativity effect is not just a cognitive bias but also a behavioral-adaptive phenomenon, where individuals tend to approach the environment and form positive hypotheses about reality. This is linked to a positivity bias, which is functional to achieve positive outcomes in a world with more potential for negative outcomes. The negativity effect is also related to a sensitivity for aversive stimuli, leading to a subjective overemphasis of the negative. The article also discusses the informational negativity effect, where negative stimuli are more informative and lead to more complex cognitive representations. This is due to the objective anchoring of negative information, which resists assimilation and requires accommodative cognitive work. The article also addresses the discrepancy between affective and informational negativity effects, where weakly negative stimuli elicit the strongest informational negativity effects but fail to produce affective negativity effects. This is explained by the difference in coping modes: affective coping involves direct avoidance, while cognitive coping involves controlling the source of the stimulus. The article concludes that the negativity effect and positive-negative asymmetry are important aspects of human functioning, reflecting both cognitive and behavioral adaptations.