The anchoring effect is our tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information we encounter (the "anchor") when making an estimate or a decision. Even if that first value is arbitrary, it influences all of our subsequent reasoning.
You see it clearly in shopping: an initial "regular price" next to the discount makes the product look like a bargain, regardless of its real value. The same holds in a salary negotiation, where the first number spoken sets the frame for the whole conversation.
Psychologically, anchoring isn't only about numbers. The first impression of a person, the first label placed on us as children, the first explanation we heard for an event — all act as anchors that are hard to shake, even when new evidence arrives.
Recognising the anchor helps you take a step back and ask "how much is this first image shaping me?" Often the most stubborn anchors are old beliefs about ourselves. If you'd like to examine them with fresh eyes, see our services.