How profanity in influences perceived authenticity and perceived helpfulness of online reviews: The moderating role of review subjectivity

While profanity may seem offensive, its prevalence within online reviews suggests it might be useful in influencing perceptions of the usefulness of online reviews. The present research investigates whether the presence (vs. absence) of profanity and high (vs. low) levels of review subjectivity jointly influence the perceived helpfulness of online reviews. In Study 1, we mined a large dataset of online reviews from Amazon across different products between 2014 and 2021. Using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, TextBlob, and Valence Aware Dictionary for Sentiment Reasoning analysis, we analyzed this extensive dataset to identify any interaction effect between profanity and subjectivity on the perceived helpfulness of online reviews in the real world. Through an experimental design, Study 2 extended the findings of Study 1 by manipulating the presence (vs. absence) of profanity and the level (high vs. low) of subjectivity in an experimental setting. Study 2 also examined perceived authenticity as a mediator underlying the interactive effect. The results show that the presence (vs. absence) of profanity increased the perceived review helpfulness in the low (but not high) subjectivity condition. Furthermore, the positive effect of profanity on review helpfulness in the low subjectivity condition was mediated by perceived authenticity. The present research is among the first to evaluate if the use of profanity impacts consumers' beliefs regarding whether the review is written by an authentic, genuine, and real person. While previous research suggests that objective language is preferred by consumers, our findings suggest that some subjectivity is important for consumers, especially in the context of online reviews.