Anchoring and adjustment
nounan·chor·ing and ad·just·mentpronounced ANG-kər-ing and ə-JUST-mənt
Last reviewed 16 April 2026
What does the noun Anchoring and adjustment mean?
A two-stage mental process where you start from an initial value (the anchor) and adjust up or down to reach your estimate. The adjustment is almost always insufficient, leaving the final estimate biased toward the anchor.
How the noun Anchoring and adjustment is used
When the agent quoted $750,000 as a guide, we adjusted up from there — but research shows buyers almost never adjust far enough from the anchor.
Related words
Cite this entry
MLA citation: "Anchoring and adjustment." How to Property, 16 Apr. 2026, https://howtoproperty.com.au/definitions/anchoring-and-adjustment. Accessed 29 May 2026.
Chicago citation: How to Property. "Anchoring and adjustment." Last modified April 16, 2026. https://howtoproperty.com.au/definitions/anchoring-and-adjustment.
APA citation: How to Property. (2026, April 16). Anchoring and adjustment. https://howtoproperty.com.au/definitions/anchoring-and-adjustment