# _corroboration.md — Two-Modality Corroboration

**Study:** emijay · VOC-EmiJay-01 · 2026-07-16
Modality 1 = mechanical co-occurrence (deterministic regex counts, `execute_code`, no LLM
judgment). Modality 2 = blind second read (independent subagent, own rubric, no access to
lens findings). A finding ships only where both agree; divergence is flagged and resolved.

## Where the two passes AGREE (shipped findings)

| Lens claim | Mechanical pass | Blind read | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| **T1: "hold for my hair type" dominates the category** | clip∩hold=99, clip∩hair-type=194, slip_out top pair (slip_out+curly=187) | Theme #1: fit/hold, **269/862** in-scope records; "111 of 290 clip records (38%), nearly double next theme" | ✅ CONFIRMED — the wedge stands |
| Hair-health/breakage is the #2 concern | breakage=233 records; curly+breakage=92 | Theme #2: hair health/damage, 182 | ✅ CONFIRMED |
| Aesthetics is a real but secondary driver | cute=398 raw, cute∩clip=80 | Theme #3: aesthetics, 135 | ✅ CONFIRMED |
| Price/dupe tension is present but secondary | price∩clip=35 | price/value 43 (proximity-gated; ~122 loose) | ✅ CONFIRMED, correctly ranked secondary |
| Emi Jay verified mention base = 58 | keyword regex = 58 | independent regex = **58** | ✅ EXACT MATCH |
| Sephora launch is a live event | sephora=59 records | neutral cluster includes Sephora launch news | ✅ CONFIRMED |
| Gifting is seasonal/niche | gift=49 | gifting 2 (proximity-gated) | ⚠️ agree it's the smallest trigger; P-D kept but demoted to seasonal-only play |

## Where the passes DIVERGED (flagged + resolved)

1. **Emi Jay negativity severity.** Lens-1 initially read complaints as 15% incidence,
   "ops chatter low-volume." The blind sample (20 records, seed=11) returned **8/20
   negative**, driven by a cluster the first pass under-weighted: the **warehouse-firing
   controversy** — `[reddit·t3_1o0t0um]` scored **1,593** (viral), plus `[reddit·t3_1o0wz8h]`
   ("Emi Nay for me") — and specific QC gripes (barrette sizing `[reddit·t3_1ibka3p]`,
   defective pump `[reddit·t3_1lhu75q]`).
   **Resolution:** re-examined the records directly; blind read is right on severity.
   `lens-sentiment.md` CORRECTED: Trust 6→5, CX 6→5, warehouse cluster promoted from
   "chatter" to high-engagement reputational event. Do-Not #4 (don't invite receipts)
   now load-bearing. *(Note: rate vs. severity — the 15% incidence was computed correctly;
   what changed is the weight of the highest-engagement negative thread.)*
2. **Comfort as a standalone theme.** Blind read surfaced "comfort" (headaches/digging,
   115 records) as theme #4; the lens pass had folded it into hold/gentle. **Resolution:**
   comfort language added to P-A/P-C trigger sets (sore-scalp mechanical count = 50
   supports it); no separate persona needed.
3. **Durability sub-theme.** Blind read counted 86 durability records incl. one direct
   Emi Jay durability complaint (`t3_1dz044c` — verified **[removed]** on re-check, unusable
   as evidence; excluded). Chunks/Invisibobble durability findings unaffected.

## Method notes
- Blind read scoped to 862 accessory-context records (proximity gate) — a *stricter*
  denominator than the lens pass's keyword bases; agreement across different denominators
  strengthens the conclusions (rail 2).
- Astroturf scan: brand-channel promo content (Slip/Kitsch official videos, Thai preorder
  reseller IG) present in corpus; identified by source/handle and treated as marketing
  voice, never counted as customer sentiment (rail 3).
