In a debate on welfare reform, the conservative candidate made her presentation, followed by the moderate candidate, and finally the liberal candidate. The candidates made equally strong presentations of their views. A poll of those who watched revealed a tendency to take the position of the conservative candidate more than the others. This outcome may have been due to the __________ heuristic.
A)availability
B)representativeness
C)anchoring and adjustment
D)framing

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The anchoring and adjustment heuristic explains this outcome because the conservative candidate, presenting first, set the initial anchor or reference point for the audience. Subsequent arguments by the moderate and liberal candidates were then evaluated in relation to this initial anchor, potentially leading the audience to lean more towards the conservative position.

In a Debate on Welfare Reform, the Conservative Candidate Made