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.
✦ Foundational — cross-referenced 25× across this reference (10 related ideas · 3 comparisons · 11 hubs · 1 book) · The State of Thinking 2026 →
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.
Anchors work even when you know they're arbitrary; the defence is sequence — generate your own number 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
Keep reading
Hindsight bias
Once the outcome lands, memory quietly edits what you believed beforehand.
See this alongside the other thinking tools of investing, negotiation, writing clearly and hiring.
This bias distorts negotiation, investing, hiring, meetings, performance reviews, planning & estimation and shopping & spending.
Go deeper
The book behind this idea: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. Hear the whole thing free — start an Audible trial and your first audiobook is on the house.
Read the full summary of Thinking, Fast and Slow →
More canonical picks:
- The Art of Thinking Clearly — Rolf Dobelli
- The Great Mental Models, Volume 1 — Shane Parrish
- Poor Charlie’s Almanack — Charlie Munger
- Super Thinking — Gabriel Weinberg & Lauren McCann
- Seeking Wisdom — Peter Bevelin
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Cite this page
ReadGlobe. (2026). Anchoring bias. https://readglobe.com/bias/anchoring-bias/
"Anchoring bias." ReadGlobe, 29 May 2026, readglobe.com/bias/anchoring-bias/.
Primary source: Wikipedia
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.