A recruiter forms an initial impression of a candidate and uses that impression to interpret later answers. Which bias best fits this description?

• A. Anchoring and adjustment bias
• B. Confirmation bias
• C. Hindsight bias
• D. Structured interview

Answer: (A)

Anchoring bias happens when the first piece of information you encounter—like an initial impression—unduly shapes all later judgments. Here, the recruiter’s initial view of the candidate becomes an anchor, and the subsequent answers are interpreted through that lens. Because the anchor stays front and center, new information is weighed against it rather than evaluated on its own merits, leading to biased conclusions even as more data comes in. This is exactly the pattern described: the initial impression setting a reference point that colors how later responses are understood.

Confirmation bias would involve cherry-picking or weighting information to confirm the initial belief, which is related but focuses on seeking supportive evidence rather than how the initial impression itself biases interpretation of new data. Hindsight bias is about thinking you "knew it all along" after the outcome is known, not about how initial information affects ongoing interpretation. A structured interview is a method to reduce bias, not a bias itself.