When empathy prevents negative reviewing behavior

Rebecca Pera; Giampaolo Viglia; Laura Grazzini; Daniele Dalli

doi:10.1016/j.annals.2019.01.005

When empathy prevents negative reviewing behavior

Rebecca Pera, Giampaolo Viglia, Laura Grazzini , Daniele Dalli

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Abstract

Previous research has found that peer-to-peer platforms have overly positive reviews. Guided by Construal Level Theory, this research investigates the relationship between social distance, empathy, and tourists’ intention to leave negative online reviews. The first study is a qualitative analysis which compares peer-to-peer settings (i.e., Airbnb) to institutional ones (i.e., Booking.com), and explores whether social closeness hinders tourists’ willingness to provide negative online reviews to express their poor experiences. The second and third study are laboratory studies which show that the mechanism behind reviewing biases is the activation of empathy.

This research offers practical implications for both traditional hospitality players, on how to activate empathy, and online platforms operators, on how to increase the reliability of their reputation systems.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	265-278
Journal	Annals of Tourism Research
Volume	75
Early online date	22 Mar 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2019.01.005
Publication status	Published - 22 Mar 2019

Keywords

online reviews
social distance
empathy
reviewing behavior
sharing economy

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10.1016/j.annals.2019.01.005

VIGLIA_2019_cright_ATR_When empathy prevents negative reviewing behaviorAccepted author manuscript (Post-print), 456 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Data availability statement for 'When empathy prevents negative reviewing behavior'.
Pera, R. (Creator), Viglia, G. (Creator) & Grazzini , L. (Creator), University of Portsmouth, 19 Jan 2019
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title = "When empathy prevents negative reviewing behavior",

abstract = "Previous research has found that peer-to-peer platforms have overly positive reviews. Guided by Construal Level Theory, this research investigates the relationship between social distance, empathy, and tourists{\textquoteright} intention to leave negative online reviews. The first study is a qualitative analysis which compares peer-to-peer settings (i.e., Airbnb) to institutional ones (i.e., Booking.com), and explores whether social closeness hinders tourists{\textquoteright} willingness to provide negative online reviews to express their poor experiences. The second and third study are laboratory studies which show that the mechanism behind reviewing biases is the activation of empathy. This research offers practical implications for both traditional hospitality players, on how to activate empathy, and online platforms operators, on how to increase the reliability of their reputation systems.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.annals.2019.01.005",

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T1 - When empathy prevents negative reviewing behavior

AU - Pera, Rebecca

AU - Viglia, Giampaolo

AU - Grazzini , Laura

AU - Dalli, Daniele

N1 - Expected DOI - 10.1016/j.annals.2019.01.005 24 month embargo

PY - 2019/3/22

Y1 - 2019/3/22

N2 - Previous research has found that peer-to-peer platforms have overly positive reviews. Guided by Construal Level Theory, this research investigates the relationship between social distance, empathy, and tourists’ intention to leave negative online reviews. The first study is a qualitative analysis which compares peer-to-peer settings (i.e., Airbnb) to institutional ones (i.e., Booking.com), and explores whether social closeness hinders tourists’ willingness to provide negative online reviews to express their poor experiences. The second and third study are laboratory studies which show that the mechanism behind reviewing biases is the activation of empathy. This research offers practical implications for both traditional hospitality players, on how to activate empathy, and online platforms operators, on how to increase the reliability of their reputation systems.

AB - Previous research has found that peer-to-peer platforms have overly positive reviews. Guided by Construal Level Theory, this research investigates the relationship between social distance, empathy, and tourists’ intention to leave negative online reviews. The first study is a qualitative analysis which compares peer-to-peer settings (i.e., Airbnb) to institutional ones (i.e., Booking.com), and explores whether social closeness hinders tourists’ willingness to provide negative online reviews to express their poor experiences. The second and third study are laboratory studies which show that the mechanism behind reviewing biases is the activation of empathy. This research offers practical implications for both traditional hospitality players, on how to activate empathy, and online platforms operators, on how to increase the reliability of their reputation systems.

KW - online reviews

KW - social distance

KW - empathy

KW - reviewing behavior

KW - sharing economy

U2 - 10.1016/j.annals.2019.01.005

DO - 10.1016/j.annals.2019.01.005

M3 - Article

SN - 0160-7383

VL - 75

SP - 265

EP - 278

JO - Annals of Tourism Research

JF - Annals of Tourism Research

ER -

When empathy prevents negative reviewing behavior

Abstract

Keywords

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Data availability statement for 'When empathy prevents negative reviewing behavior'.

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