Authority Bias is the tendency to give greater value to the opinion of an authority figure regardless of the actual value of the content and be more influenced by their opinion.

Individuals are inclined to view authority figures as deserving of their position and this leads people to accept and obey the decisions that the authority figure makes. ref

Examples of Authority Bias

• HiPPO - Highest Paid Person's Opinion: The person's opinion with presumably the highest status in a meeting may override others' opinions or facts.
• Celebrity endorsements: Celebrities often endorse products and actions despite not being related experts over an average consumer.
• Pro Athlete endorsements: Similar to celebrity endorsements, even though athletes are experts in a sport, they often endorse products and actions unrelated to their field.
• Paid actors mimicking experts in marketing.
• Social media influencers.