📄 29 — Anchoring
Definition
The tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered.
When to Use
• Negotiations • Pricing • Forecasting • Planning • Estimation
How It Improves Reasoning
It helps you adjust away from arbitrary or misleading anchors.
Steps
- Identify the anchor.
- Evaluate whether it is relevant.
- Re‑estimate independently.
- Compare and adjust.
Example
A first price offer sets expectations even if it’s unreasonable.
Prompts
• “Identify anchors affecting this decision.” • “Re‑estimate without using the initial anchor.”