G. Whyte et Jk. Sebenius, THE EFFECT OF MULTIPLE ANCHORS ON ANCHORING IN INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP JUDGMENT, Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 69(1), 1997, pp. 75-85
Citations number
63
Categorie Soggetti
Psychology, Applied",Management,"Psychology, Social
This article examines whether the availability of multiple anchors red
uces anchoring induced bias in individual and group judgment. Based on
earlier research, it was unclear whether multiple anchors would mitig
ate anchoring effects. This issue was investigated in the context of a
two-party, single issue negotiation. ANOVA revealed that an unreliabl
e anchor introduced just before the negotiation was to occur was suffi
cient to induce substantial anchoring effects that were as large for g
roups as they were for individuals. This pattern was equally apparent
in the judgments of MBA students (n = 105) and experienced managers (n
= 135). Initial offers, aspiration levels, and bottom lines were all
affected even though relevant anchors such as information about the ce
rtain financial consequences associated with a failure to reach a nego
tiated agreement were provided. An analysis based on social decision s
cheme theory suggests that groups did not debias individual judgment b
ecause groups did not use anchoring and adjustment to make estimates.
Rather, group decisions reflected the majority point of view as it exi
sted at the outset of group discussion. If no majority existed, groups
tended to reach consensus by averaging the pre-group estimates of ind
ividuals. Implications of these findings for anchoring theory are disc
ussed. (C) 1997 Academic Press.