The weight placed at the beginning of a word, the moment the evaluation solidifies.

The weight placed at the beginning of a word, the moment the evaluation solidifies.

The evaluation people make of the same information depends more strongly on the order in which it is presented than on its content. The first words or impressions given are fixed as the reference point for thinking, and subsequent information is likely to be interpreted in a way that reinforces that framework. This is the beginning effect. People may think they are updating their judgments based on information given later, but in reality they are merely assigning meanings in a way that protects their initial impressions. Behind this lies the existence of System 1, which works fast and automatically. Because System 1 finds it burdensome to examine the sequence and blank out the evaluation, it accepts the initial information as a premise and quickly builds up a coherent understanding. This tendency is further reinforced in situations of fatigue and time constraints, making it difficult for System 2, which is responsible for careful consideration, to intervene. As a result, the
coincidence of information placement determines the quality of the decision, and only the certainty is reinforced. The initial effect indicates a deep-seated characteristic of human cognition that order, not content, shapes thought.