Anchoring bias
Anchoring bias is the tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered — the “anchor” — when making decisions. Later judgements adjust away from it but rarely far enough, so the initial number quietly skews the outcome.
Why it happens
The anchor sets a mental reference point, and adjustment from it is effortful and stops too early. Strikingly, even arbitrary or obviously irrelevant numbers pull estimates toward them — the mind grabs whatever value is present first.
Examples
- A high “original price” making a sale price feel like a bargain.
- The first salary figure named framing the entire negotiation that follows.
- A random number seen just before an estimate nudging that unrelated estimate.
How to counter it
- Form your own independent estimate before you see any anchor.
- Deliberately consider the opposite extreme to widen your range.
- Ask whether the reference point is actually relevant — or just the first one offered.
The deeper point
Anchors work even when you know they’re arbitrary, even when you’re warned. Awareness doesn’t immunise you — only generating your own number first does. The defence is sequence, not willpower.
Frequently asked
- What is an example of anchoring bias?
- A jacket marked “was $400, now $150” feels cheap because $400 anchors your sense of its value — even if $150 is still more than it’s worth.
- Why does anchoring work even with irrelevant numbers?
- The mind uses the first number present as a starting point and adjusts insufficiently from it. Studies show even random numbers can shift unrelated estimates.
- How do you reduce anchoring bias?
- Generate your own estimate first, consider an opposite extreme, and consciously question whether the anchor is meaningful or simply the first figure you happened to see.
Related
Editorial synthesis © ReadGlobe 2026, drawing on Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow, the Tversky–Kahneman research program, and the primary cognitive-science literature. · Last reviewed 2026-05-29.