Anchoring Bias

Anchoring Bias is a systematic pattern of deviation from rational judgment. Users afflicted by Anchoring Bias make predictable errors that product teams can either exploit or mitigate. Ethical product design seeks to mitigate Anchoring Bias by providing clearer information, better defaults, and reversibility. Dark patterns exploit Anchoring Bias to manipulate users into actions they wouldn't choose freely. Understanding Anchoring Bias is essential for designing products that serve genuine user progress.