reanchoring

Reanchoring is a term used in psychology and related fields to describe the process of establishing a new reference point, or anchor, for judgments, evaluations, or emotional responses after the original anchor has biased perception. Anchoring is the cognitive bias that leads people to rely too heavily on the first piece of information offered when making decisions. Reanchoring aims to modify or replace that initial reference point to improve accuracy or emotional regulation.

In decision making and negotiation, reanchoring involves introducing updated information, reframing the problem, or adjusting value anchors to reduce the influence of prior anchors on outcomes. In therapy and self-regulation, reanchoring refers to creating a new emotional state linked to a cue or context, so that encountering the cue elicits the desired response instead of the previous one. Techniques may include sensory cues, deliberate bodily movements, or cognitive reframing, and are often used in neuro-linguistic programming, exposure therapy, or mindfulness practices.

In practice, a reanchoring process usually includes identifying the old anchor, assessing its impact, selecting a more adaptive anchor (or context), pairing the cue with the new response, and practicing to strengthen the association. Efficacy varies by domain, individual differences, and context; some effects are short-lived without ongoing reinforcement and skill use.

Etymology: anchor as a fixed reference point; reanchoring denotes the act of replacing or adjusting that point. See also anchoring, cognitive bias, and neuro-linguistic programming.