The first one you see costs £2,000.
A few minutes later you find another model for £1,200.
Suddenly the second television feels like a bargain.
But is it actually cheap?
Or does it only feel cheap because of what you saw first?
Psychologists have a name for this tendency:
Anchoring Bias
What is anchoring bias?
Anchoring bias is the tendency to rely heavily on the first piece of information we encounter when making decisions.
That first piece of information becomes an:
Anchor
And future judgments are often influenced by it.
Even when the anchor may be irrelevant.
In simple terms:
The first number, idea, or impression we encounter can shape how we view everything that follows.
A simple example
Imagine someone asks:
Most people will now make their estimate around that figure."Do you think the average house price is more or less than £1 million?"
But if they had first heard:
their estimate would likely be much lower."Do you think the average house price is more or less than £100,000?"
The starting point influences the final judgment.
Why does this happen?
The brain is constantly processing information.
To make decisions quickly, it often uses shortcuts.
One shortcut involves using available information as a reference point.
Even when that reference point isn't particularly useful.
Once an anchor is established, it can be surprisingly difficult to ignore.
Anchoring appears everywhere
Anchoring bias influences many areas of life:
- shopping
- negotiations
- salaries
- property prices
- relationships
- business decisions
- expectations
Advertisers, salespeople, and negotiators often understand this principle very well.
The first number presented can strongly influence how later numbers are perceived.
The connection to manifestation
Anchoring bias becomes particularly interesting when discussing beliefs and expectations.
Imagine someone has spent years telling themselves:
That belief may become an anchor."I never get lucky."
Future experiences are often interpreted through that existing expectation.
Similarly, someone who believes:
may interpret events differently."Things usually work out for me."
The initial belief influences the way later experiences are viewed.
Why changing beliefs can feel difficult
One reason personal growth can feel challenging is because old anchors can be surprisingly powerful.
If someone has spent years thinking:
- "I'm not confident."
- "I'm bad with money."
- "Nothing ever changes."
those beliefs may become reference points for future experiences.
New information often gets compared against old assumptions.
This can make change feel slower than people expect.
Anchoring and first impressions
The same principle applies to people.
First impressions often become anchors.
Once an opinion is formed, later information may be filtered through that initial judgment.
This is one reason why changing opinions can sometimes be difficult.
The original anchor remains influential.
Can anchoring be helpful?
Sometimes.
Anchors help people make quick decisions.
Without mental shortcuts, everyday life would become overwhelming.
The problem isn't that anchors exist.
The problem is that we are often unaware of them.
A useful question to ask
Whenever making an important decision, it can be helpful to ask:
Sometimes the answer reveals an anchor that was influencing judgment without being noticed."What information am I using as my reference point?"
A balanced perspective
Anchoring bias doesn't mean our decisions are wrong.
It simply reminds us that the first information we encounter often carries more weight than we realise.
Understanding this can help us become:
- more aware
- more thoughtful
- more open to new information
rather than automatically accepting our initial assumptions.
A final thought
The next time you find yourself making a judgment, consider this:
The answer may be surprising.Am I evaluating the situation as it truly is...
or am I comparing it to an anchor that was established long ago?
Because while we often believe our opinions are based entirely on evidence, psychology suggests that our starting point may influence us far more than we realise.
And sometimes, recognising the anchor is the first step towards seeing things differently.