[DSRP Evidence](https://dsrpevidence.org/) # Perspective Taking as Egocentric Anchoring and Adjustment ## Details **Authors** Epley et al. **Year** 2004 **Publisher** Journal of Personality and Social Psychology **Discipline** Sociology [Read it at the publisher](https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.87.3.327) 10.1037/0022-3514.87.3.327 ## In authors' words ### Abstract The authors propose that people adopt others' perspectives by serially adjusting from their own. As predicted, estimates of others' perceptions were consistent with one's own but differed in a manner consistent with serial adjustment (Study 1). Participants were slower to indicate that another's perception would be different from--rather than similar to--their own (Study 2). Egocentric biases increased under time pressure (Study 2) and decreased with accuracy incentives (Study 3). Egocentric biases also increased when participants were more inclined to accept plausible values encountered early in the adjustment process than when inclined to reject them (Study 4). Finally, adjustments tend to be insufficient, in part, because people stop adjusting once a plausible estimate is reached (Study 5). ### What they set out to do (purpose) To research the egocentric anchoring and adjustment people use to successfully take Perspectives ### What they found (results) Adjustment from one’s own perspective takes time, and hurried participants adjusted less and were consequently more egocentric than those who responded at their leisure. These results offer further evidence that people adopt others’ Perspectives by initially anchoring on their own perception and then effortfully adjusting for differences between themselves and others. Their results showed that nodding one's head led them to be more likely to adopt the Perspective, while shaking their head led them to be less willing to adopt the Perspective. In the absence of sufficient motivation for accuracy, people are likely to terminate adjustment once a plausible estimate is reached—arriving at a satisfactory estimate rather than the most accurate estimate.” They confirmed their hypothesis that humans have an egocentric bias, in which they view the world through their Perspective nearly 100% of the time. ## Commentary ### In short People understand others by using themselves first as a lens. People vary in the amount of awareness they have of this bias, which can be an issue, as. many social judgements are egocentrically biased which can be detrimental especially during a conflict. ### In more detail Research was also conducted around the egocentric anchoring and adjustment people use to successfully take Perspectives (Epley et. al. 2004 ). In the first study, the focus was sarcasm, which can be viewed as an ambiguous communication. If the participants were primed with a negative stimuli they saw a message as being sarcastic, while if primed with a positive stimuli they did not. In the second study, responses to questions and statements would be more egocentric if one was under pressure, rather than if they had more time to think. “The results of this study further support our contention that adult Perspective taking follows a process of anchoring and serial adjustment. Because adjustment from one’s own perspective takes time, hurried participants adjusted less and were consequently more egocentric than those who responded at their leisure.” In the third experiment, participants were given Coke and Pepsi to taste test the difference between them. They were informed of the identities of the drinks beforehand. They were then told to estimate another’s ability to taste the difference. When speaking of themselves, respondents said the difference was obvious, but used a more moderate statement when discussing others perceptions of the taste difference. “These results offer further evidence that people adopt others’ Perspectives by initially anchoring on their own perception and then effortfully adjusting for differences between themselves and others.” For the fourth experiment, the influence of subtle body language cues (such as nodding or shaking one's head) was tested in relation to willingness to adopt another’s Perspective. Their results showed that nodding one's head led them to be more likely to adopt the Perspective, while shaking their head led them to be less willing to adopt the Perspective. In the final experiment, they tested if human Perspective taking was related to the concept of “satisficing”. This means, “given the uncertainty surrounding the true value being estimated, people are likely to have a range of values they would consider to be plausible estimates. In the absence of sufficient motivation for accuracy, people are likely to terminate adjustment once a plausible estimate is reached—arriving at a satisfactory estimate rather than the most accurate estimate.” They confirmed their hypothesis that humans have an egocentric bias, in which they view the world through their Perspective nearly 100% of the time. So the authors suggested taking another’s Perspective requires starting from their Perspective (their anchor) and then analyzing the differences between themselves and the other. In other words, they offer that people understand others by using themselves first as a lens. People vary in the amount of awareness they have of this bias, which can be an issue, as many social judgements are egocentrically biased which can be detrimental especially during a conflict. **Patterns it shows** P **How to cite this** Epley et al. (2004). Perspective Taking as Egocentric Anchoring and Adjustment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.