I believe the variable of lies and misinformation thriving in virality is based on the idea that negativity is more engaging and intriguing than positivity. When something stimulates a negative feeling such as fear or anxiety, people engage because they feel insecure whether it be relative to the condition of their environment or internal self-perception. For example, if you read something negative about the President, you care because you live in the United States and relate it to your own well-being. Further, if someone read negative articles about a person they envy, they may feel inclined to engage & share it because that person's success made them feel inferior. Unfortunately, negativity sells.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, characteristics of people testing positive for COVID-19, UK - Office for National Statistics. (2021, November 3). Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, Characteristics of People Testing Positive for COVID-19, UK: 3 November 2021. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveycharacteristicsofpeopletestingpositiveforcovid19uk/3november2021#glossary

Prof. Christina Pagel. (2021, December 23). UKHSA surveillance report shows reinfections rising sharply as Omicron takes hold https://t.co/UGArY4sbOA [Tweet]. @chrischirp. https://twitter.com/chrischirp/status/1474041921249189896

ReconfigBehSci. (2021, December 22). RT @chrischirp: Positivity rising steeply too—There are definitely many more people we aren’t catching https://t.co/4xDPwYQtrx [Tweet]. @SciBeh. https://twitter.com/SciBeh/status/1473695678610214927

ReconfigBehSci on Twitter: “RT @fascinatorfun: Ouch. Norway 4117 new cases is equivalent to over 50k in the U.K. But the kickers are the sheer speed of increase (43%…” / Twitter. (n.d.). Retrieved December 23, 2021, from https://twitter.com/SciBeh/status/1468139950939901952

ReconfigBehSci. (2021, December 11). RT @thehowie: BREAKING: South Africa: Week over week increase of only 4.8% today. 16.4% positive rate is near half of recent levels. 36… [Tweet]. @SciBeh. https://twitter.com/SciBeh/status/1469945163615129602

ReconfigBehSci. (2021, December 20). RT @thehowie: South Africa Deaths (7 day average) are near double levels of a few weeks ago. They will go up further. They are only 7.5%… [Tweet]. @SciBeh. https://twitter.com/SciBeh/status/1472991477672419334

ReconfigBehSci. (2021, January 29). RT @IndependentSage: 3.7 million infected with #COVID19 in the UK. An estimated 5-10% will develop #LongCovid. We can’t afford to ignore th… [Tweet]. @SciBeh. https://twitter.com/SciBeh/status/1355097550529945607

(((Howard Forman))). (2022, January 21). NYC update (GREAT news heading into weekend) Cases down 43% with positive rate 7.3% (Manhattan 6.2%). Lowest rate since December 15. Hospital census down 13% back to levels of January 2. All trends (except deaths) favorable. Thanks to everyone who has helped get us here. Https://t.co/MLmptWLxKv [Tweet]. @thehowie. https://twitter.com/thehowie/status/1484608013885480962

(((Howard Forman))). (2022, January 31). Connecticut Cases down 72% from last week (lower test resulting). Positive rate 7.3%, lowest since 12/20. Hospitalizations down 29%. 46% are fully vaccinated. FWIW - my hospital is 67% down from peak census. Good news! Https://t.co/dOpFO2fjTK [Tweet]. @thehowie. https://twitter.com/thehowie/status/1488277435342901259

(((Howard Forman))). (2022, February 3). Connecticut Cases down 19%. Positive rate is 6.6%, similar to early December. We are at comparable case levels to last winter. Hospitalizations down 32%. Deaths continue to decline, down 22%. Https://t.co/vqhn1AwM6b [Tweet]. @thehowie. https://twitter.com/thehowie/status/1489334682596429825

Mahan Ghafari, ماهان غفاری. (2022, February 1). After the daily covid-19 cases in Iran dropped to record-low numbers last month, it is now back in full swing due to omicron! Map on the left (mostly coloured in blue) shows the situation in late december and the one on the right is from 2 days ago (many in amber or red). 1/ https://t.co/vgpwuiymbl [Tweet]. @Mahan_Ghafari. https://twitter.com/Mahan_Ghafari/status/1488481042847698946

Incidence of Omicron: One-in-five Canadians report COVID-19 infection in their household since Dec. 1. (2022, January 31). Angus Reid Institute. https://angusreid.org/omicron-incidence-restrictions/

(((Howard Forman))). (2022, January 24). NYC update Positive rate 6.6%. Cases fewest since 12/13. Hospital census lowest since 1/1/2022. Hospital admits lowest since 12/22/2021. All indicators (except deaths) declining rapidly, but still well above pre-Omicron levels. Expect more swift progress this week. Https://t.co/IhKlwEEkXp [Tweet]. @thehowie. https://twitter.com/thehowie/status/1485719209359421452

Theo Sanderson. (2022, January 5). Version with fewer ages and the CIs plotted: Https://t.co/WI2dA231xM [Tweet]. @theosanderson. https://twitter.com/theosanderson/status/1478740695041073152

Yoni Freedhoff 🟣, MD. (2022, January 5). Good lord! The percent positivity rate in #Ottawa LTC’s PCR tests was 🚨83.72%🚨 yesterday (while Ottawa large was 50%)! [Tweet]. @YoniFreedhoff. https://twitter.com/YoniFreedhoff/status/1478832524533116931

BNO Newsroom. (2021, November 26). South Africa reports 2,828 new coronavirus cases, an increase of 258% from last week, with a positivity rate of 9.1% [Tweet]. @BNODesk. https://twitter.com/BNODesk/status/1464280278197846025

Infectious Diseases on Twitter. (n.d.). Twitter. Retrieved 27 August 2021, from https://twitter.com/InfectiousDz/status/1430643623876517888

Aizpurua, A., Migueles, M., & Aranberri, A. (2021). Prospective Memory and Positivity Bias in the COVID-19 Health Crisis: The Effects of Aging. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 666977. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.666977

Potts, M. (2021, July 21). My Community Refuses to Get Vaccinated. Now Delta Is Here. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/07/arkansas-cases-covid-19/619515/

Lipsitch, M., & Kahn, R. (2021). Interpreting vaccine efficacy trial results for infection and transmission. Vaccine, 39(30), 4082–4088. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.06.011

JUNIPER: Potential community transmission of B.1.617.2 inferred by S-gene positivity - briefing note, 11 May 2021. (n.d.). GOV.UK. Retrieved 14 June 2021, from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/juniper-potential-community-transmission-of-b16172-inferred-by-s-gene-positivity-briefing-note-11-may-2021

Ellis. M. (2020) UNC reports a 31 percent COVID-19 positivity rate for last week. The Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved from: https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2020/08/breaking-31-percent-positivity

This solution based therapy focuses on trying to get people active and engaged with life even when depressed.

It is important to help patients experience those little positive events. These events can help people get back on track.

Wang, X., Ferro, E. G., Zhou, G., Hashimoto, D., & Bhatt, D. L. (2020). Association Between Universal Masking in a Health Care System and SARS-CoV-2 Positivity Among Health Care Workers. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.12897

witter. (n.d.). Twitter. Retrieved June 22, 2020, from https://twitter.com/trvrb/status/1274144864196653057

European Solidarity Tracker. (n.d.). ECFR. Retrieved June 17, 2020, from https://www.ecfr.eu/article/solidaritytracker

Warren, M. (2019, December 10). Good At Heart? 10 Psychology Findings That Reveal The Better Side Of Humanity. Research Digest. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2019/12/10/good-at-heart-10-psychology-findings-that-reveal-the-better-side-of-humanity/

Avaaz. 10 Reasons to Love Humanity right now. https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/covid19_reasons_to_hope/

Fradera, A. New study fails to find any psychological benefits of volunteering, but that doesn’t mean you should stop. (2017, March 14). Research Digest. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2017/03/14/new-study-fails-to-find-any-psychological-benefits-of-volunteering-but-that-doesnt-mean-you-should-stop/

Sætrevik, B. (2020, April 13). Realistic expectations and pro-social behavioural intentions to the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Norwegian population. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/uptyq

Murray, A. (2020). The easy way is hard enuff. Harvard. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.013

Breckon, J. (2020 April 16). Seven welcome Covid-19 trends. Researchprofessionalnews.com. https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-views-of-the-uk-2020-4-seven-welcome-covid-19-trends/

Symonds, J.E. (2020 April 16). Positive pandemic?. The British Psychological Society, the Psychologist. https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/positive-pandemic

Reminds me a bit of an old adage within CAA, but this one is far more toxic than the positive version that CAA used. Theirs amounted to occupying executives with CAA client meetings and material so they just didn't have time to handle other talent.