Egocentric Anchoring.

Sometimes it might seem like a person near us or a colleague thinks they are the center of the universe 🙂. And it's perfectly fine for someone to think they are the center of the universe; in psychology, such behavior is described as a cognitive bias called egocentric anchoring. By itself, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can create communication problems and reduce the mutual understanding needed. And that's okay and can be resolved, but it will take some time because we'll need more effort to get that person to listen. We will have to explain things/situations/events much more logically.

However, sometimes egocentric anchoring can coincide with a deficit in the human skill of active listening. And that's when problems can become more significant, and communication more difficult.

What is Egocentric Anchoring?

Egocentric anchoring is a cognitive bias where an individual has the will and desire, or tendency, to interpret and evaluate information by always starting from themselves, based solely on their own attitudes, beliefs, and experiences. Such a bias can lead us to truly believe that this person is the center of the universe. Who is or isn't the center of the universe wouldn't be such a big problem if it didn't mean that one's own perspective becomes the main reference point for evaluating other people, situations, and events.

This bias can be present in various contexts, from interpersonal relationships and business situations to decision-making.

Egocentric Anchoring and Active Listening

Egocentric anchoring and active listening are two concepts that can be linked in the context of interpersonal communication.

Since the person is the center of the universe, this will very often lead to a lack of attention to the perspectives and feelings of others.

On the other hand, active listening is a skill that involves consciously focusing on the interlocutor and actively trying to understand their message. Active listening includes carefully following the speaker's verbal and non-verbal communication, asking questions for clarification, reflecting and confirming understanding, and showing empathy. The connection between egocentric anchoring and active listening is that egocentric anchoring can make it difficult for us to actively engage in the listening process. When we are focused on our own views and experiences, we may be less open to others' perspectives and less attentive to what others are expressing.

Active listening can help overcome egocentric anchoring by allowing us to focus on the speaker, be aware of others' perspectives, and develop empathy for them. Through active listening, we can better connect with other people, understand their needs and feelings, and build deeper, higher-quality relationships.

Psychological Entitlement Scale

If you had the opportunity to psychometrically assess such an employee during recruitment, a value on the psychological entitlement scale likely stood out. In short, the psychological entitlement scale is a concept that refers to people's tendency to assume that their abilities, characteristics, or values are above average compared to others. This can include overestimating one's intelligence, beauty, happiness, morality, or other aspects of personality. Generally, egocentric anchoring can be one of the mechanisms contributing to psychological entitlement. When a person focuses on their own attitudes and experiences, it is possible that the tendency to overestimate their abilities or characteristics will be stronger. Egocentric anchoring can maintain the illusion of one's own superiority and potentially make it difficult to objectively assess oneself in relation to others.

Psychological Profile of an Individual

An individual with a pronounced cognitive bias of egocentric anchoring may exhibit certain characteristics in their psychological profile.

• A person with egocentric anchoring is often aware of their own attitudes, beliefs, and experiences and considers them crucial when evaluating situations and other people. They can be very self-focused and concentrated on their own needs.
• A person with egocentric anchoring may have a limited ability to understand the perspectives and experiences of others.
• A person with egocentric anchoring is generally less open to new experiences, information, and ideas that do not align with their own views. They will likely stick to their beliefs and find it harder to accept alternatives.
• Difficulties in teamwork: Egocentric anchoring can make it difficult to collaborate with others in a team environment. The person may be more prone to imposing their own ideas and ignoring the suggestions or perspectives of other team members.
• Communication difficulties: A person with egocentric anchoring may have difficulty communicating effectively with others. They will often have a tendency to dominate conversations, not allowing enough space for others to express their views.

Egocentric anchoring can occur in people of all ages, genders, and educational backgrounds. There is no specific group of people for whom it is characteristic. However, there are some factors that may contribute to a higher likelihood of this bias appearing in certain individuals.

• Individuals with high self-confidence
• Individuals with low emotional intelligence: A lack of awareness of others' feelings and perspectives can increase the likelihood of egocentric anchoring. Individuals with low emotional intelligence may have difficulty empathizing with and understanding other people.
• Individuals with little experience in diverse contexts: If someone has limited experience and exposure to different perspectives, they are likely to be more prone to egocentric anchoring. A lack of diversity in experiences can make it difficult to understand other people and their perspectives.

Personal Development Plans

None of the aforementioned psychological traits in an employee need to be a reason not to hire that person if we understand them. Of course, provided their knowledge meets our business needs. All this merely highlights the importance of proper employee learning and development, i.e., the creation of personal development plans.

In a world where everyone sometimes thinks they are the center of the universe, it's important to understand how egocentric anchoring can affect our communication. But there's a way we can deal with it. By developing active listening skills, we can see other people's perspectives and build deeper connections. LEGO® Serious Play® is one way that can help us do this. The combination of creativity, visual communication, and teamwork through the use of LEGO® bricks allows us to actively listen and understand others.

This way, we can overcome egocentric anchoring and create space for mutual understanding. Investing in personal development and creating personal development plans is crucial for improving our communication and understanding skills. So, break free from the shackles of egocentric anchoring, open your mind and yourself to new experiences, and make active listening the foundation of your communication 🙂