It is said that in order to make a thing of high value one has to make that thing difficult to attain. The demand and value of things is often increased by creating artificial shortages. But to this demand and supply there is another side. We seem to have a tendency to stick to the first decision we make. Decision research calls it anchor. Why do we accept anchors? Why are we anchored to our first impression and decisions? Decision research teaches us that we are fixated to an arbitrary coherence. It is a kind of disposition that we form in the light of our first impression. Arbitrary coherence becomes an anchor that guides our decisions. Perhaps, an example will help. When we go to buy a shirt in a mall, we can see prices like 499, 599, 699 etc., we seem to anchored on the first number. We arbitrarily see it as the base price. It forms our arbitrary coherence and we are willing to pay a for the shirt within its range.
Those that travel abroad might have a vivid experience of arbitrary coherence. If one has to buy a Coke , one instantly recalls the price back home. Thus, the home price of the Coke works as a bench mark to his/ her willingness to pay for the Coke abroad. We usually do not change to fit a new market. Even going to our fish market can illumine us to the existence of arbitrary coherence. When the fisherwoman tells us the price of the fish that we want to buy, it ( this price ) becomes the bench mark for us to negotiate a new discounted price with the fisherwoman. We can see that this new negotiated price is not far removed from the initial price quoted by the fisherwoman. Although, our analysis appears to be rational and coherent. It is totally based on an arbitrary figure that is taken as a starting point.
The first bit of information that we get influences how we judge the rest that follows us. a random incident in my life can bring light on what we may call arbitrary coherence effect. I was given a donation appeal. The first page had the purpose of the appeal. The rest of the three pages had columns for the name, address and amount that donor whished to give. I was to go to the neighbors to seek donations. I approached my dad. He put his name and address and donated Rs 200. His name thus, came first in the serial order. In fact, to my surprise, everyone of neighbors donated either Rs. 200 or a figure very close to it. This indicates that we are somehow influenced by an arbitrary coherence where an initial figure becomes an anchor that influences our decision making. It has been shown that the information that is placed before us as we enter a readymade clothes shop might influence our decision about the clothes that we encounter later.
It is because of the arbitrary coherence effect that a wining horse keep wining in politics. In India, it is said that Anna agitation against corruption served as arbitrary coherence for the BJP to win. In fact, the slogan ‘ Mai Anna hu’ or ‘ I am Anna’ literary made majority of Indians vote against the establishment. In the election 2024 it was the fear of the change of constitution and subsequent loss of the reservation become the anchor or arbitrary coherence effect that mediated with other factors how the vote was caste by the people of India.
This is why we have the challenge to hack our leaning to arbitrary coherence. When we carefully consider how arbitrary coherence operate as anchor and influences our decision. We might be able to resist it and free us being trapped by it. Arbitrary coherence effect convinces us that we have a good deal to make. But it being based on arbitrary coherence , we are blinded to think that we are deciding on a basis of sound reasoning. It can push us into a cycle of unnecessary buying spree as well as make us take wrong political decisions. This is why we need to critically consider how we are made vulnerable by arbitrary coherence and thus find ways and means to free us. It may be also called coherent arbitrariness. It is random and yet consistent. It is this coherent character make us think that we are making a good deal when we follow it. Looking at its arbitrariness carefully, we can find wholes is its coherentness. To break free from it chains , we have reists it pulls and develop critical thinking and thus, make informed decisions
