What is Anchoring Bias?
Understanding cognitive biases, such as anchoring bias, is essential for UX design professionals. These biases are common patterns of thought that can heavily influence how people make decisions based on the information they receive.
This article explores anchoring bias, a cognitive bias that significantly impacts UX design. Recognizing and mitigating biases is key.
Anchoring bias occurs when people rely too heavily on the first information they encounter about a topic. Whether accurate or not, this initial piece of information becomes a reference point or “anchor” that influences subsequent decisions. This bias can lead to skewed choices like salary negotiations, medical diagnoses, and purchases.
Anchoring bias can occur both internally and externally:
External anchors are reference points provided by others, such as the suggested retail price of a product.
Internal anchors are based on personal beliefs, experiences, or context. For example, a person’s childhood experiences might set a baseline for their fitness expectations as an adult.
Why Does Anchoring Bias Occur?
There are two main explanations for why anchoring bias happens:
Anchoring and Adjustment
When unsure about an answer, people make an educated guess (the anchor) and adjust from there. This adjustment must be revised, leading to biased outcomes close to the original anchor.
Confirmatory Hypothesis Testing
When presented with an external anchor, people often search for information that supports it, making it easier to accept as the correct answer.
How Does Anchoring Bias Affect Your Products?
Anchoring bias influences how customers perceive the value of a product and compare it to alternatives. For example, if a customer first sees a high price, a subsequent discount appears more appealing. Conversely, returning to the standard price may seem expensive if the initial cost is low.
Examples of Anchoring Bias:
Pricing Anchors: The first price customers see for a product sets a benchmark, affecting how they view subsequent prices.
Negotiation Anchors: In negotiations, the first offer sets the tone, influencing all following offers.
Survey Order: The order of questions can shape responses by establishing context early on.
Form Defaults: Preselected options serve as anchors, influencing user choices.
Product Recommendations: The first recommended item sets expectations for subsequent items.
Search Results: The first search result often serves as a perceived best option, anchoring user judgment.
Onboarding Experience: The initial experience with a product can anchor overall user perception.
Visual Design: The first impression of a product’s design can influence perceptions of brand quality.
How to Avoid Anchoring Bias?
Comprehensive User Research
Gather diverse insights to avoid relying on initial data.
Regular Usability Tests
Test designs to identify and mitigate potential biases.
User Feedback
Encourage feedback to understand user experiences better and adjust designs accordingly.
Provide Multiple Perspectives
Offer varied options to prevent users from becoming fixated on a single reference point.
Educate Users
Make users aware of anchoring bias to encourage more deliberate decision-making.
Conclusion
Anchoring bias is a powerful cognitive bias that can significantly impact user decisions in UX design. By understanding its effects, designers can create more effective, user-centered experiences by employing diverse research methods and providing users with a range of perspectives.
