Citation

Sleeth-Keppler D. J. Soc. Psychol. 2013; 153(4): 424-447.

Affiliation

Humboldt State University, School of Business, 1 Harpst St., Arcata, CA 95521, USA. ds2590@humboldt.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

23951950

Abstract

Current explanations of basic anchoring effects, defined as the influence of an arbitrary number standard on an uncertain judgment, confound numerical values with vague quantifiers. I show that the consideration of numerical anchors may bias subsequent judgments primarily through the priming of quantifiers, rather than the numbers themselves. Study 1 varied the target of a numerical comparison judgment in a between--participants design, while holding the numerical anchor value constant. This design yielded an anchoring effect consistent with a quantifier priming hypothesis. Study 2 included a direct manipulation of vague quantifiers in the traditional anchoring paradigm. Finally, Study 3 examined the notion that specific associations between quantifiers, reflecting values on separate judgmental dimensions (i.e., the price and height of a target) can affect the direction of anchoring effects. Discussion focuses on the nature of vague quantifier priming in numerically anchored judgments.

Language: en