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No. 313 · Your own mind · Psychology

Deprival-Superreaction Tendency

Losing something we have, or almost have, provokes a reaction far bigger than gaining it would.

The Deprival/Superreaction Tendency is our habit of reacting with outsized intensity when something we have, or almost have, is threatened. The pain of a loss often far outweighs the pleasure of an equal gain, which is why taxes, licence changes and lost perks can spark fierce backlash.

To use it, give yourself a cooling-off period before reacting to financial losses. When taking something away from others, explain, give notice and phase it out. In relationships, name the feeling of loss before you speak. Some losses truly matter, so aim for a response that fits their real size.

In the Almanac

“The poll tax”, 1989–1990 · “Wizards of the Coast”, 2023

Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.

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Deprival/Superreaction Tendency

Questions

What is Deprival-Superreaction Tendency?

The Deprival/Superreaction Tendency is our habit of reacting with outsized intensity when something we have, or almost have, is threatened. The pain of a loss often far outweighs the pleasure of an equal gain, which is why taxes, licence changes and lost perks can spark fierce backlash.

How do you use Deprival-Superreaction Tendency?

To use it, give yourself a cooling-off period before reacting to financial losses. When taking something away from others, explain, give notice and phase it out. In relationships, name the feeling of loss before you speak. Some losses truly matter, so aim for a response that fits their real size.

When does Deprival-Superreaction Tendency matter?

Deprival-Superreaction Tendency is one of the 31 mental models for your own mind, the situations where you ask: Is my own thinking leading me astray? Within that, it belongs to “Feelings that steer you”, alongside Fear, Freudian Slip and Influence of Stress.

What is an example of Deprival-Superreaction Tendency?

Two stories show it at work: The poll tax (1989–1990) and Wizards of the Coast (2023). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.

Which mental models are related to Deprival-Superreaction Tendency?

Loss Aversion, Prospect Theory and Sunk Cost Fallacy. Deprival-Superreaction Tendency itself comes from psychology.