We find that ratings are not absolute, but rather depend
on whether they are given anonymously or under one’s
own name and whether they are displayed publicly or
held confidentially. The potential to reciprocate produces higher and more correlated ratings than when individuals are unable to see how others rated them. Ratings further depend on the gender and nationalities of the raters and ratees. All of these findings indicate that ratings should not be taken at face value without considering social nuances.