This is an examination of anchoring effect, a cognitive bias that influences decision-making. The study by Englich and Mussweiler (2001) demonstrated that judges' sentencing decisions were heavily influenced by the prosecutor's sentencing recommendation, even when that recommendation was objectively irrelevant. The texts further explain that the anchoring bias is not limited to legal settings but is a common phenomenon that affects people's judgments in various domains, including pricing decisions, medical diagnoses, and consumer purchases. The texts conclude by offering strategies to mitigate the influence of the anchoring bias, such as consulting multiple sources and actively challenging an anchor's influence.

Original Study: https://sci-hub.se/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb02687.x