Anchoring bias

Anchoring bias is a cognitive bias that occurs when a person gives excessive weight to the first piece of information they receive when making an assessment or decision. This initial information acts as a reference point or anchor and can influence the interpretation of data received later.

In Human Resources, this bias can occur in different people management processes, particularly when assessments combine objective information with perceptions or professional judgements. This bias can affect the objectivity of decisions and cause initial information to have a greater influence than it should. This can happen whether the first piece of information is positive or negative.

Some situations in which it may occur include:

• Recruitment: a first impression, an initial answer or a salary expectation can influence the subsequent assessment of a candidate.
• Performance evaluation: a previous assessment can influence the interpretation of a person's current performance.
• Internal promotion: an initial judgement about a person's potential may persist even when different evidence subsequently emerges.
• Compensation: a current salary or an initial figure proposed during a negotiation can act as a reference for determining new compensation.
• Talent management: an initial classification or assessment can influence subsequent decisions about a person's professional development.