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Consumer lying in online reviews: recent evidence

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  • Shawn Berry

Abstract

The persistence of lying by some consumers in their online posts of experiences with businesses is problematic, and taints the global pool of information that is used for decision making by people that assume they are true accounts of experiences. This study is based on data from my dissertation about fake online Google reviews of restaurants (Berry, 2024), and leverages an instrument that quantifies the trust of people. The findings are based on a sample of n=351, and provide a general proxy for lying in online reviews, and sketch out the characteristics of a typical person that has the propensity to be untruthful. A predictive model of posting untrue online reviews is constructed. The findings have wider implications for the study and monitoring of deceptive behavior, including the propagation of misinformation, and a means of quantifying the potential for antisocial behavior as measured by the trust of people instrument in Berry (2024). Directions for future research and limitations are also discussed.

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  • Shawn Berry, 2024. "Consumer lying in online reviews: recent evidence," Papers 2405.12743, arXiv.org.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2405.12743
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kapoor, Payal S. & M S, Balaji & Maity, Moutusy & Jain, Nikunj Kumar, 2021. "Why consumers exaggerate in online reviews? Moral disengagement and dark personality traits," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    2. Abeler, Johannes & Becker, Anke & Falk, Armin, 2014. "Representative evidence on lying costs," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 96-104.
    3. Munzel, Andreas, 2016. "Assisting consumers in detecting fake reviews: The role of identity information disclosure and consensus," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 96-108.
    4. Shawn Berry, 2024. "Fake Google restaurant reviews and the implications for consumers and restaurants," Papers 2401.11345, arXiv.org, revised Apr 2024.
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