Which cognitive bias involves placing more weight on initial information received about someone?

The cognitive bias that involves placing more weight on initial information received about someone is known as primacy bias. This bias occurs when the first pieces of information we obtain about a person shape our overall impression of them more significantly than later information does.

Primacy bias is rooted in the way our memory and cognition work; we are more likely to remember and give importance to the first things we learn about a person, which can heavily influence our attitudes and behaviors toward them. This bias can occur in various contexts, such as in interviews, initial meetings, or any situation where first impressions are formed.

In contrast, recency bias relates to the tendency to weigh the most recent information more heavily, rather than the initial details. Self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute positive events to one’s own character but to attribute negative events to external factors, while actor-observer bias involves differing explanations for one’s own behavior versus others'. Understanding these differences highlights the broad spectrum of biases that can affect our perception and interaction with others.