Jack knows that his company is unable to provide employees with a holiday bonus. As the company gives a holiday bonus every year, he is certain his employees will be disappointed. Several weeks before he needs to tell employees about the bonus, he starts a rumor that the company is considering layoffs. Thus, when the employees hear that there is not a bonus, they are relieved, as this is better than layoffs. Which commonly used heuristic is Jack utilizing?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jack is using the anchoring and adjustment heuristic by setting a negative expectation (layoffs) that makes the actual news (no bonus) seem better by comparison. This influences how employees adjust their feelings based on the initial, more severe anchor point.

Jack Knows That His Company Is Unable to Provide Employees