A study led by researchers from Erasmus School of Economics, The Hebrew University, and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev reveals a significant gender rating gap in online reviews, with possible economic and social implications. The researchers found that women's average ratings on platforms such as Amazon, Google, and Yelp are consistently higher than men's average ratings. The analysis of over 1.2 billion reviews, supplemented by lab experiments, suggests this gap stems from women's greater reluctance to share negative feedback, possibly driven by societal pressures to avoid backlash. The researchers call for awareness of this consistent and widespread gap and for efforts to find ways to reduce it. The researchers also highlight the need for societal changes to create conditions where people, particularly women, feel comfortable publicly expressing their attitudes without being concerned about the consequences.
A new study led by Dr. Andreas Bayerl from Erasmus School of Economics, Dr. Yaniv Dover from The Hebrew University, and Prof. Hila Riemer and Prof. Danny Shapira from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has identified a significant and consistent gender rating gap in online reviews, revealing that women's average ratings are higher than men's across major platforms such as Amazon, Google, IMDb, TripAdvisor, and Yelp. Relying on the analysis of more than 1.2 billion actual online reviews, supplemented by two controlled lab experiments, this research suggests that gender differences in the willingness to share negative feedback drive this gap.
The findings reveal that, although women and men generally have similar attitudes about products or experiences, women are more hesitant to express negative opinions in online public forums. This reluctance may stem from societal expectations that place greater emphasis on communal and empathetic behavior in women, leading them to avoid backlash or negative evaluations.
The researchers stated "Our findings point to a broader societal issue. Women are less likely to express dissatisfaction in online reviews, not because they are more satisfied, but because they are more concerned about potential social consequences when expressing dissatisfaction."
Key findings from the study include:
- Women's average ratings are higher than men's by approximately 0.1 stars on a 5-point scale. Such a gap is important and impactful for online reviews, especially since small differences in online review scores lead to meaningful changes in ranking, which have significant economic implications.
- Lab experiments found that when dissatisfied, women are less likely than men to post a review, while satisfied women and men submit reviews at similar rates.
- The gender rating gap holds across many contexts, platforms, and geographies, suggesting it is a pervasive issue in online review culture.
The researchers also discuss potential solutions to reduce the bias in online review ratings and call for further research on the topic. Suggestions include encouraging platforms to create more inclusive spaces where women feel comfortable sharing their honest opinions also considering the option of anonymous reviews. The researchers note, however, that anonymity can sometimes lead to more toxic environments, so platform managers must balance transparency with inclusiveness.
These findings have significant implications for consumers, businesses, online platforms, and society at large. Given online reviews' critical role in influencing purchasing decisions, the gender rating gap may distort perceptions of products and services. Small rating differences can lead to large shifts in rankings, potentially disadvantaging businesses or creating misinformed consumer choices.
"This research is a call to action for platforms, businesses, and society as a whole," the researchers emphasize. "To ensure fair representation of opinions, we need to address the factors that prevent individuals, particularly women, from sharing their true experiences, especially when they are dissatisfied."
The research paper titled “Gender rating gap in online reviews” is now available at Nature Human Behaviour and can be accessed at https://rdcu.be/dWeGT
DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-02003-6
Researchers
Andreas Bayerl1* Yaniv Dover2,3, Hila Riemer4, Daniel Shapira5,6
Institutions
1 Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3062 PA, The Netherlands
2 Jerusalem School of Business Administration, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91905, Israel
3 Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
4 Department of Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
5 Department of Business and Administration, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
6 Adjunct Research Faculty at the University of Mannheim Business School, 68131 Mannheim, Germany
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel’s premier academic and research institution. With over 23,000 students from 90 countries, it is a hub for advancing scientific knowledge and holds a significant role in Israel’s civilian scientific research output, accounting for nearly 40% of it and has registered over 11,000 patents. The university’s faculty and alumni have earned eight Nobel Prizes, two Turing Awards a Fields Medal, underscoring their contributions to ground-breaking discoveries. In the global arena, the Hebrew University ranks 81st according to the Shanghai Ranking. To learn more about the university’s academic programs, research initiatives, and achievements, visit the official website at http://new.huji.ac.il/en
