Why Is the Crowd Divided? Attribution for Dispersion in Online Word of Mouth

19 Pages Posted: 9 Mar 2015 Last revised: 10 Mar 2015

See all articles by Stephen He

Stephen He

University of Texas at San Antonio - Alvarez College of Business

Samuel Bond

Georgia Institute of Technology; Georgia Institute of Technology - Scheller College of Business

Date Written: January 17, 2015

Abstract

The widespread availability of online word-of-mouth (WOM) enables modern consumers to assess not only the opinions of others about products and services, but also the extent to which those opinions are consistent or disperse. Despite longstanding calls for greater understanding of mixed opinions, existing evidence is inconclusive regarding effects of WOM dispersion, and theoretical accounts have relied primarily on the notion of reference-dependence. Extending prior work, this research proposes an attribution-based account, in which consumer interpretation of WOM dispersion depends on the extent to which tastes in a product domain are perceived to be dissimilar, so that dispersion can be attributed to inconsistency in reviewer preferences rather than the product itself. Across four experimental studies, participants presented with online rating distributions were more tolerant of dispersion in taste dissimilar product domains than taste similar product domains, and the difference was driven by underlying attributions. Together, these findings expand current understanding of WOM, social distributions, and risk perception, by revealing distinct pathways through which consumers respond to differences of opinion. In addition, they suggest the opportunity to proactively influence the manner in which dispersion is perceived, highlighting its positive connotations while diminishing its association with risk.

Suggested Citation

He, Stephen and Bond, Samuel, Why Is the Crowd Divided? Attribution for Dispersion in Online Word of Mouth (January 17, 2015). Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 41, No. 6, 2015, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2575105

Stephen He (Contact Author)

University of Texas at San Antonio - Alvarez College of Business ( email )

One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249
United States

HOME PAGE: http://business.utsa.edu/faculty/profiles/he-stephen.html

Samuel Bond

Georgia Institute of Technology ( email )

Atlanta, GA 30332
United States

Georgia Institute of Technology - Scheller College of Business ( email )

800 West Peachtree St.
Atlanta, GA 30308
United States

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