October 15, 2024 — Women are less likely to share negative experiences in online reviews compared to their male counterparts, according to new research conducted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. According to the study published in Nature Human Behaviour, 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, reveals 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 due to potential backlash.

“Our findings point to a broader societal issue,” the researchers said. “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. The gender rating gap holds across many contexts, platforms, and geographies, suggesting it is a pervasive issue in online review culture.”

The study found that 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. However, laboratory experiments found that satisfied women and men submit reviews at similar rates.

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 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 and 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.

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.

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