Houston research: How social pressures are affecting digital product evaluations

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Serious product reviewers need peers and audiences to see them as credible. But new research indicates that pursuing credibility may compromise the objectivity of their evaluations. Photo via Getty Images

Theoretically, product evaluations should be impartial and unbiased. However, this assumption overlooks a crucial truth about product evaluators: They are human beings who are concerned about maintaining credibility with their audience, especially their peer evaluators.

Because evaluators must also care about being perceived as legitimate yet skillful themselves, certain social pressures are at play that potentially influence their product reviews.

Research by Minjae Kim (Rice Business) and Daniel DellaPosta (Penn State) takes up the question of how evaluators navigate those pressures. They find that in some cases, evaluators uphold majority opinion to appear legitimate and authoritative. In other contexts, they offer a contrasting viewpoint so that they seem more refined and sophisticated.

Pretend a movie critic gives an uplifting review of a widely overlooked film. By departing from the aesthetic judgments of cinema aficionados, the reviewer risks losing credibility with their audience. Not only does the reviewer fail to understand this specific film, the audience might say; they fail to understand film and filmmaking, broadly.

But it’s also conceivable, in other situations, that the dissenting evaluator will come across as uniquely perceptive.

What makes the difference between these conflicting perceptions?

Partly, it depends on how niche or mainstream the product is. With large-audience products, Kim and DellaPosta hypothesize, evaluators are more willing to contradict widespread opinion. (Without a large audience, contradicting opinions are like the sound of a tree that falls in a forest without anyone nearby to hear.)

The perceived classiness of the product can affect the evaluator’s approach, as well. It’s easier to dissent from majority opinion on products deemed “lowbrow” than those deemed “highbrow.” Kim and DellaPosta suggest it’s more of a risk to downgrade a “highbrow” product that seems to require more sophisticated taste (e.g., classical music) and easier to downgrade a highly rated yet “lowbrow” product that seems easier to appreciate (e.g., a blockbuster movie).

Thus, the “safe spot” for disagreeing with established opinion is when a product has already been thoroughly and highly reviewed yet appears easier to understand. In that case, evaluators might sense an opportunity to stand out, rather than try to fit in. But disagreeing with something just for the sake of disagreeing can make people think you’re not a fair or reasonable evaluator. To avoid that perception, it might be better to agree with the high rating.

To test their hypotheses, Kim and DellaPosta used data from beer enthusiast site BeerAdvocate.com, an online platform where amateur evaluators review beers while also engaging with other users. Online reviewers publicly rate and describe their impressions of a variety of beers, from craft to mainstream.

The data set included 1.66 million user-submitted reviews of American-produced beers, including 82,077 unique beers, 4,302 brewers, 47,561 reviewers and 103 unique styles of beer. The reviews spanned from December 2000 to September 2015.

When the researchers compared scores given to the same beer over time, they confirmed their hypothesis about the conditions under which evaluators contradict the majority opinion. On average, reviewers were more inclined to contradict the majority opinions for a beer that had been highly rated and widely reviewed. When reviewers considered a particular brew to be a “lowbrow,” downgrading occurred to an even greater extent.

Kim and DellaPosta’s research has implications for both producers and consumers. Both groups should be aware of the social dynamics involved in product evaluation. The research suggests that reviews and ratings are as much about elevating the people who make them as they are about product quality.

Making evaluators identifiable and non-anonymous may help increase accountability for what they say online — a seemingly positive thing. But Kim and DellaPosta reveal a potential downside: Knowing who evaluators are, Kim says, “might warp the ratings in ways that depart from true objective quality.”

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This article originally ran on Rice Business Wisdom and was based on research from Minjae Kim, assistant professor of Management – Organizational Behavior at Rice Business, and Daniel DellaPosta, associate professor of Sociology and Social Data Analytics at Pennsylvania State University.

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When it comes to promoting social causes, corporations have to find a way to appear genuine over posturing. Photo via Getty Images

Navigating corporate challenge of genuinely supporting social causes, per Rice research

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It is becoming more and more common for companies to promote social causes such as human rights, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and environmental sustainability. But organizations face a tricky dilemma when expressing commitments to helping address social issues: Stakeholders may interpret their words and deeds as shallow rhetoric or insincere posturing.

Terms like “greenwashing” (regarding environmentalism) or “pinkwashing” (regarding LGBTQ+ rights) are on the rise, and they signal heightened suspicions around companies doing something with ostensible objectives of bringing in positive social change.

It's critical for researchers and business leaders to investigate this duality of audience perception: actual virtue versus virtue-signaling. In an age of social media and polarization, consumers are increasingly likely to wonder: Does this company have ulterior motives? Are they trying to cover for their own wrongdoing? Are they actually walking the walk, or are they merely talking the talk?

When can companies avoid such suspicion of being pro-social imposters?

Minjae Kim of Rice Business and Ezra W. Zuckerman Sivan of MIT Sloan School of Management have taken a close look at the conditions under which upholding social norms will make firms appear to be “model citizens” and when it will make them seem like imposters.

Their theory is two-fold: First, those who follow through and do social good in response to an explicit “social mandate” are viewed as “model citizens.” Second, those who go out of their way to do social good without any prompts or social mandates are less likely to be trusted and will be widely viewed as imposters.

Think about the following situation. A “social mandate” is given to a politician when they are asked in an interview what they think about a particular cause. In that context, if they express support, audiences are less likely to suspect the politician of having ulterior motives or pandering to constituents. After all, if the politician does not express support in that situation, that is tantamount to expressing disapproval. Here, the interview question (i.e., “social mandate”) provides a cover of plausible deniability to any suspicions of ulterior motives. Law enforcement (e.g., police, prosecutors) often have this social mandate built into their professions.

But if the politician takes initiative — unprompted — to support the same cause, they will more likely be viewed with suspicion. They may instead appear to seek out social rewards associated with supporting the cause (e.g., good reputation), without the cover of plausible deniability.

To test their theory, Kim and Zuckerman launched a series of experiments involving 509 online participants based in the United States. The experiments sought to determine how respondents perceive individuals who encourage others to abide by social norms. Participants were specifically asked to identify which of two individuals they think are “model citizens” committed to the norm, or “imposters” who are uncommitted but trying to hide their own deviance.

The researchers found that people who encourage others to abide by social norms when prompted (“social mandate”) are perceived as “model citizens,” while those who do the same but without such prompts are more likely to appear as “imposters.” This duality provides a clear guideline for managers engaging in corporate social responsibility: When suspicions are rampant, launching pro-social campaigns without a plausible mandate may heighten suspicion regarding motives.

The larger question is how to build firms and societies where people can safely support norms (that we all support) without being suspected as imposters. After all, we want our own norms and moral principles to govern our lives. But in some situations, we may mistakenly vilify those who are trying to do good, based on the absence of some contextual “social mandate.”

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This article originally ran on Rice Business Wisdom and was based on research from Minjae Kim, assistant professor of organizational behavior at Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business, and Ezra Zuckerman Sivan, the Alvin J. Siteman (1948) Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at MIT Sloan School of Management.

Professionals are more likely to refer a friend, rather than an acquaintance, for a job. Photo via Getty Images

Houston research: Strong connections go a long way in job hunting

houston voices

Job hunting can feel like prying open a succession of elaborately padlocked doors, and making it through all of them might seem to require a miracle. In reality, though, you could know someone who has the right keys – and is willing to use them for you.

As layoffs and furloughs continue to transform the workplace, commentators often discuss whether job hunters are better served by a team of close friends or a wider, less intimate army of acquaintances. This discussion is especially relevant when about 20 percent of high-income workers appear to get jobs via firm-driven referral practices.

For years, research pointed toward the less intimate army. Casual acquaintances or friends-of-friends, the types of relationships known as "weak ties," seemed preferable because they offered a greater number of and more diverse job tips. Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and other networking sites thrived on the notion that loosely connected groups were more effective networks than the concentrated energies of a few friends.

But Rice Business professor Minjae Kim and Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Roberto M. Fernandez have taken a fresh look at the matter, questioning whether weak ties are really that useful. In a recent paper, they analyzed when and why socially connected people share job opportunities they know about.

To gather their data, the team surveyed 196 first-year MBA students, asking half of them (randomly assigned) their willingness to help close friends and the other half about acquaintances. Both close friends and acquaintances were described as qualified for the opportunities.

Past research assumed that regardless of the strength of the ties, people would be equally likely to relay job information, thus focusing on the reach of weaker, more numerous ties. But in Kim and Fernandez' study, the participants, most of whom were former professionals, said they were more likely to help friends than people with distant, weaker connections.

This was true even when the students being surveyed were offered a hypothetical financial bonus. Offering money for referrals is a time-honored practice in many industries, and indeed, when a bonus was offered, participants in the study were more willing to give a job tip to an acquaintance.

But the study also revealed that money isn't always enough to make people pass along job information, which other recent research confirms. For some people, Kim and Fernandez found, helping a good friend is more important than gaining professional or social benefit by helping a mere acquaintance.

In fact, even when an acquaintance was known to be qualified for a job, and even with referral bonuses as an incentive, when it came to passing on job tips, most participants surveyed favored close friends over people with whom they only had weak ties.

Praising the weak tie is still de rigueur in many employment think pieces. But, the team concluded, landing a job requires more than simply knowing people who know about possible job opportunities. In many cases, someone needs to make an effort for you. We all have a range of motivations, only some of them financial, for sharing information. Friendship, Kim and Fernandez discovered, is a surpassingly strong motivator for relaying job information.

Having an intricate network can be a highly effective way to learn what's out there. But because individuals have such a strong bias toward friends, big networks should not be a job hunters' lone strategy. Keeping your friends close, it turns out, offers professional benefits. The person with the key to your next job may be standing nearer than you think.

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This article originally ran on Rice Business Wisdom and is based on research from Minjae Kim, an assistant professor of management at Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University.

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10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for August

where to be

School is back in session this month, and a busy slate of Houston business and innovation events follows. This month brings demo days, loads of networking opportunities and a major health symposium. Here’s what not to miss and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to add more events.

Aug. 4 — CEOs: Build With AI, Exit With a Premium

Join Blue People for this engaging presentation by David Lopez, founder of Summa, at the latest installment of Tech + Tequila Talk. Lopez will discuss AI moves that can multiply a company's value.

This event is Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 5-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Aug. 4 — SEIP Demo Day

The Rice Center for Engineering Leadership will showcase the groundbreaking projects developed by its Summer Engineering Innovation Program at the 2026 Demo Day. Attendees can meet the SEIP participants and partners and hear the teams' final presentations.

This event is Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 6-8 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Aug. 5 — Summer Venture Studio Preview Day

The Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie) will present its inaugural Summer Venture Studio Preview Day this month. Hear from the student founders selected for Lilie's summer cohort, which features teams ranging from the healthcare and artificial intelligence to advanced manufacturing sectors.

This event is Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 4-6 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Aug. 11 — Mercury Fund Day at the Ion: How Legacy Software Giants Are Going AI-First

Don’t miss the latest installment of Mercury Fund Day at the Ion, previously known as Software Day. The recurring monthly event features office hours (by application), a keynote and networking opportunities. This month's topic will feature a working conversation with Senior Director of Growth at Twilio Mustafa Ali, Senior Director of Consumer Product at WhatsApp Zafir Khan, and Founder and CEO of utilITise Salim Gheewalla.

This event is Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 3:30-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Aug. 13 — Pints and Prototypes

TMC Innovation Lab will host its Pints & Prototypes networking event this month. Minneapolis-based Medtronic will support this month's event and has invited guest speakers to share their journey in the medtech scene.

This event is Thursday, Aug. 13, from 4-5:30 p.m. at TMC Innovation Factory. Find more information here.

Aug. 14 — Houston Methodist Cancer Symposium

The 14th Annual Houston Methodist Cancer Symposium will bring together Houston Methodist scientists and physicians from a broad spectrum of fields to discuss everything from innovative translational science to clinical updates. The symposium aims to provide education focused on improving patient care, research collaboration and leading medicine.

This event is Friday, Aug. 14, from 7:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. at Houston Methodist Research Institute. Find more information and register here.

Aug. 14 — Hands-On Workshop: Build Your Own Reusable AI System

Impact Hub Houston and Social Media Breakfast of Houston will host this hands-on workshop on using Smart Card to create a repeatable process users can hand off to AI. Attendees should bring a laptop, an AI tool, and a task that AI could help with. The workshop will focus on working with ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini.

This event is Friday, Aug. 14, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Aug. 17-21 — Foundations of Cancer Therapeutics Crash Course

The Gulf Coast Consortia will host a virtual course focused on the commercialization aspects of moving cancer therapeutics toward the market. Presenters represent The University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, the Greater Houston Partnership, TMC Innovation, the University of Houston, Texas Southern University and other major institutions.

This event begins Monday, Aug. 17, at 10 a.m. Register here.

Aug. 20 — Pickle Lab’s Two-Year Anniversary Celebration

Enjoy an evening of open-play pickleball, beats by a live DJ, giveaways and more at the second anniversary celebration of Pickle Lab in the Ion District. Enjoy a free beverage from Second Draught and food for purchase from the Crunchy’s for the Munchies food truck.

This event takes place Thursday, Aug. 20, from 6-9 p.m. at Pickle Lab at the Ion. Register here.

Aug. 20 — SBA Lender Matchmaking Event

Business owners can meet with multiple lenders in scheduled, one-on-one 15-minute sessions during this speed-dating style SBA event. SBA Houston District Office representatives will also be onsite to provide free business advising.

This event takes place Thursday, Aug. 20, from 8:30 a.m.–noon at SBDC Sam Houston State University – The Woodlands Center. Register here.

Aug. 27 — BiteLabs Digital Health and Innovation Summit

TMC Innovation and BiteLabs will host the Digital Health and Innovation Summit, which aims to connect clinicians, founders and investors. The event will include an AI in biotech panel, a healthcare AI ethics panel, a hiring in digital health panel, and pitches from BiteLabs USA HealthTech, AI, and Innovation Fellowship.

This event takes place Thursday, Aug. 27, from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. at TMC Innovation Factory. Register here.

Houston nonprofit wins Meta grant to study AI glasses for disabilities

Helping Houston

A grant from Meta will help Easter Seals Greater Houston determine whether wearable AI smart glasses improve accessibility for those with disabilities. The local nonprofit is one organization that received a share of $2 million that Meta allocated in late July.

"Meta is proud to select recipients, including the Easter Seals Greater Houston, based on demonstrated impact, scalability, and relevance to areas where hands-free technology can make the biggest difference," Meta executive Beth Murray said in a request for comment. "It was exciting to receive nearly 500 applications from organizations across the country, and now the real innovation begins here in Houston with the Easter Seals project to understand how different local communities can benefit from AI glasses."

Meta launched its AI Glasses Impact Grant program in January with the goal of delivering nearly $2 million in funds to organizations across the country to see how their Meta AI Glasses could improve people's lives. It selected over 30 recipients from more than 500 applicants.

Easter Seals is using the grant to help pay for its BridgingApps Program, "a community-centered pilot studying how three distinct populations — people with low vision, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and those with cognitive aging – can benefit from AI glasses," Meta says. Easter Seals is part of one of the oldest networks in America for disabilities, delivering disability support, veteran training, and other services. The Greater Houston branch was established in 1947.

Meta AI Glasses integrate AI personal assistance with wearable tech for a hands-free connective experience. While many people use their built-in cameras and social media access to create content, the Impact Grant promotes how the technology might assist people with disabilities as well as innovate in industrial and scientific fields.

Data storage and recall could aid people with memory loss, while interpretative AI facial recognition software may let neurodivergent and developmentally delayed people recognize social cues. The pilot program at Easter Seals will explore some of these possibilities.

Two other Texas organizations received grants. The University of North Texas will also explore disability assistance through Meta AI Glasses, in a school environment rather than in the general public space. Austin software company Embarcadero Technologies will use the glasses to build a remote training platform that can simultaneously mentor five junior workers at once.

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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

Houston startup lands $10M to power up electrician staffing platform

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Houston-based Buildforce, which provides a tech-enabled staff platform geared toward electricians and electrical contractors, has raised a $10 million Series A round led by Houston’s Saepio Capital.

Other investors in the round include Blue Heron Capital, Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, S3 Ventures and Chicago Ventures.

Buildforce says the funding will help fuel its national expansion and further development of its technology.

The startup, founded in 2019, connects electricians with electrical contractors for commercial and industrial construction projects. Buildforce’s mobile app helps electricians find and carry out work, and a web app helps electrical contractors find and manage electricians.

“This financing is a major milestone in furthering our mission to help people dedicated to a career in the construction trades lead more secure and fulfilling lives,” co-founder and CEO Moody Heard said in a news release.

Buildforce focuses solely on the electrical trade within the construction sector.

Nick Graziano, principal at Blue Heron, says the shortage of electricians is intensifying as demand for electricians accelerates, driven by data center construction, infrastructure development and energy transition initiatives.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the U.S. will need to hire about 80,000 new electricians per year through 2032 to catch up with demand. According to the National Electrical Contractors Association, the U.S. is grappling with a current shortage of 50,000 electricians.

A 2026 economic report from asset manager BlackRock says the electrical trade is expected to be the single fastest-growing employment category in the U.S. labor market over the next 10 years.

“Buildforce is capitalizing on a clear opportunity in America’s generational infrastructure buildout. We believe their mission to use technology to improve lives in the construction space will allow them to make a positive long-term impact on a large and important labor market,” added Jaan Bains, managing partner at Saepio Capital.

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