TOEFL iBT · Complete the Words · Anchoring and number estimates

Anchoring: how irrelevant numbers affect our estimates

When people estimate a value, they are often influenced by numbers they have seen just before, even when those numbers are irrelevant. In a fam___ study, partic______ were fi___ asked t_ write do__ the la__ two dig___ of a_ identification num___ before bid____ on everyday products such as wine and computer equipment. Those whose digits were high offered noticeably more money than those whose digits were low. Psychologists call this effect anchoring, and many stores use it when they display a high original price next to a sale price.