Online reviews have become a cornerstone of modern consumer behavior, influencing decisions on everything from restaurants to medical treatments. However, a significant gender divide exists in the reliability and usefulness of these reviews. A recent study has found that reviews written by women are often more detailed and predictive of issues, while those by men tend to be vague and less informative.
The Study and Its Findings
A study conducted by researchers at Indiana University and Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business examined online drug reviews on WebMD. They found that negative reviews written by women were early indicators of serious issues that could lead to drug recalls. "We find that the more negative the drug review sentiment, the greater the hazard of a serious recall on that drug," the researchers noted. "This relationship is completely explained by drug reviews written by females; reviews written by males have no explanatory power".
George Ball, an associate professor of operations and decision technologies at Indiana University, put it more succinctly: "The male comments are completely meaningless". This stark statement underscores the gender divide in the quality and reliability of online health advice.
Why Women's Reviews Matter More
The researchers posited several reasons for this disparity. Women are generally more in tune with their health and more expressive in their communications. They are also more comfortable sharing their experiences, particularly on social media and other online platforms. In their analysis, women tended to be more articulate and detailed in their drug reviews, providing specific ailments, duration of issues, and emotional context. For example, one review read: "My lymph nodes swelled in my armpits and under my ear on the left side. Headache for 4 days then went to urgent care and told to quit taking the med. I was shaky, extremely tired, and very emotional. So glad that is over. Unlikely I will try this one again. Was on it for 4 days".
In contrast, men's reviews were often vague and lacked detail. A typical male review might say, "Drug works good so far, I'll keep everyone updated," which does little to communicate the actual effects of the medication.
The Broader Implications
This gender divide in online reviews has broader implications for consumer trust and decision-making. For instance, drug development often underrepresents women in clinical trials, leading to a lack of data on how medications affect them. Therefore, women's detailed reviews can provide critical insights that are otherwise missing. "What female consumers are able to do is they're able to kind of sniff out, sometimes literally, something's not right here with this product," Ball explained.
Moreover, separate research found that having women on boards of directors resulted in swifter action on recalls, further highlighting the importance of female perspectives in decision-making processes.
The Irony of Perception
Despite the reliability of women's reviews, many people still tend to trust men's reviews more, depending on the product category. A 2023 study on Yelp reviews found that reviews from women were seen as more pertinent in areas like arts and entertainment, nightlife, and home and garden, while reviews from men were trusted more in areas like car-repair services. "Women are more authentic. They write more-authentic reviews and more-emotional reviews," said Prashanth Ravula, an assistant professor of business administration at Morgan State University.
However, this perception does not always align with reality. Even in areas stereotypically seen as women's domains, their reviews are not always perceived as more valuable than men's. This discrepancy can have serious consequences, particularly when it comes to health and medical advice. Ignoring detailed, emotionally nuanced reviews from women in favor of vague, less informative reviews from men can lead to poor decision-making and adverse health outcomes.
The gender divide in online reviews is a critical issue that affects consumer behavior and trust. Women's reviews are generally more detailed and predictive of issues, making them more reliable sources of information, especially in health and medical contexts. As consumers, it is essential to recognize this disparity and give due weight to the more detailed, nuanced reviews often provided by women. Doing so can lead to better-informed decisions and, ultimately, better health outcomes.
