In a debate on welfare reform, the conservative candidate made her presentation, followed by the moderate candidate, and closing with 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 suggests that people rely heavily on the first piece of information they receive (the "anchor") when making decisions. In this case, the conservative candidate spoke first, potentially setting an anchor that influenced the audience's perception of the subsequent candidates.

In a Debate on Welfare Reform, the Conservative Candidate Made