Abstract
Reputation systems appear to be inherently biased towards better-than-average ratings. We explain this as a consequence of self-selection, where reviewers are drawn disproportionately from the subset of potential consumers favorably predisposed toward the resource. Inflated ratings tend to attract consumers with lower expected value, who have a greater chance of disappointment. Paradoxically, the more accurate the ratings, the greater the degree of self-selection, and the faster the ratings become biased. We derive sufficient conditions under which biased ratings occur. Finally, we outline a potential solution to this problem that involves stating expectations before interaction with the resource, and expressing subsequent ratings in terms of delight or disappointment.
Please use the following formal when citing this chapter: Kramer, M., 2007, in IFIP International Federation for information Processing, Volume 238, Trust Management, eds. Etalle, S., Marsh, S., (Boston: Springer), pp. 255–268.
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© 2007 International Federation for Information Processing
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Kramer, M.A. (2007). Self-Selection Bias in Reputation Systems. In: Etalle, S., Marsh, S. (eds) Trust Management. IFIPTM 2007. IFIP International Federation for Information Processing, vol 238. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73655-6_17
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73655-6_17
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-73654-9
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-73655-6
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