Psychology
What is Anchoring bias?
Anchoring bias is the tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information you hear when making decisions. That initial 'anchor' — like a starting price — pulls your judgment toward it, even when it's arbitrary or irrelevant.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains anchoring bias.
Key things to understand
- 1The first number or fact you encounter sets a mental reference point.
- 2Later judgments stay biased toward that anchor.
- 3It works even when the anchor is clearly random.
- 4Retailers use it: a high 'original price' makes a sale look better.
- 5Awareness helps, but anchors are surprisingly hard to ignore.
Frequently asked questions
- What is an example of anchoring bias?
- Seeing a $1,000 'original price' makes a $600 jacket feel cheap, even if $600 is more than it's worth — the first number anchors your sense of value.
- Why does anchoring work even with random numbers?
- The mind adjusts away from whatever starting point it's given but usually stops too soon, leaving the final estimate pulled toward the anchor.
- How can you reduce anchoring bias?
- Deliberately consider the opposite, gather independent reference points, and question where your first number actually came from.