錨點個數與錨點一致性對定錨效果的影響

THE ROLES OF NUMBER OF ANCHORS AND ANCHOR-CONSISTENCY IN ANCHORING EFFECTS

過去研究發現：個體在做數量判斷之前若給予任意一個數字，個體就會做出接近該數字的數量判斷，此即所謂的定錨效果。傳統的定錨研究多為一次呈現一個錨點數值（單一錨點情境），本研究操弄錨點個數以及錨點一致性來探討不同情境下的定錨效果。本研究在多重錨點情境下設計了一個2（錨點水準：高／低）×2（錨點一致性：高一致／低一致）的二因子實驗設計，加上單一錨點情境下的兩個情境（錨點水準：高／低），形成共六個細格的受試者間實驗。結果發現多重錨點情境和單一錨點情境下都會產生定錨現象，即高錨點水準情境下的受試者所給予的判斷數值高於低錨點水準情境下受試者所給予的判斷數值；多重錨點情境下的定錨現象比單一錨點情境下更強；在多重錨點情境下，個體在錨點一致性高時較錨點一致性低時產生更強的定錨現象。本文對上述現象的內在機制有進一步的討論。

Anchoring effects refer to the phenomenon that if an individual receives a number before making a quantitative judgment, his or her judgment would be biased by the value of that number. Previous researchers usually presented an anchor (i.e., a number) to the subject. The present study investigated the effects of the number of anchors and anchor-consistency on quantitative judgments. A 2 (anchor level: high/low) × 2 (anchor-consistency: high/low) multiple-anchor experimental design, plus two single-anchor conditions (anchor level: high/low) were designed for the present study. The results showed that anchoring effects appeared in both single- and multiple-anchor conditions. The anchoring effect was stronger in the multiple-anchor condition than in the single-anchor conditions. With multiple anchors, the anchoring effect was stronger in the high-consistent condition than in the low-consistent condition. The underlying mechanisms of the above results are further discussed.