Research Tips
Beware of Anchors
A significant body of research demonstrates that values that appear in questions or response options can influence responses through a process called anchoring. For example, researchers evaluating response to a new product’s price might show research participants the new product and present a range of prices and see which prices participants perceive as too low, reasonable, and too high. With this approach, price perceptions are likely to be influenced by where the scale stops and starts. For example, if the scale goes from $100 – $200, $150 may be perceived as a reasonable price, whereas if the scale goes from $100 – $150, then $150 may be perceived as too high a price.
Anchoring effects occur even outside of the context of research. In those situations, anchors can be set based on consumers’ prior experiences. For example, the price consumers perceive as reasonable for an item of clothing is likely to be influenced by whether the label is that of a prestigious brand or a discount department store, even if the actual item of clothing is the same. Or when consumers consider a new brand offered in a product category from which they regularly purchase, their evaluations (on price and also other attributes) are typically based on comparisons to the brand they normally purchase.