How Do We Utilize Others’ Opinions?

Abstract: People often buy on behalf of others. We ask whether dispersion in online ratings (variance) is weighted more when choosing for others than for oneself. Across three experiments, participants chose between products with similar mean star ratings but differing in variance. Decisions for others consistently favored the low-variance option, whereas self-choices were more tolerant of dispersion. The pattern replicated across recipient types (friend, stranger) and other-oriented contexts (coercion vs. pure gift). Results link self–other choice asymmetries to a ubiquitous cue in marketplaces and suggest practical design: when purchases are other-focused, platforms might prioritize items with higher consensus.