Figure 1 indeed shows a very strong inverse correlation between the median helpfulness ratio and the absolute deviation, as predicted by the conformity hypothesis. However, this data does not
completely disprove the brilliant-but-cruel hypothesis, since for a given absolute deviation |x| > 0, it could conceivably happen that reviews with positive deviations |x| (i.e. more favorable than average) could have much worse helpfulness ratios than reviews with negative deviation −|x|, thus dragging down the median helpfulness ratio. Rather, to directly assess the brilliant-but-cruel hypothesis, we must consider signed deviation, not just absolute deviation.