Social robots become increasingly human-like in appearance and behaviour. However, a large body of research shows that these robots tend to elicit negative feelings of eeriness, danger, and threat. ...In the present study, we explored whether and how human-like appearance and mind-attribution contribute to these negative feelings and clarified possible underlying mechanisms. Participants were presented with pictures of mechanical, humanoid, and android robots, and physical anthropomorphism (Studies 1–3), attribution of mind perception of agency and experience (Studies 2 and 3), threat to human–machine distinctiveness, and damage to humans and their identity were assessed for all three robot types. Replicating earlier research, human–machine distinctiveness mediated the influence of anthropomorphic appearance on the perceived damage for humans and their identity, and this mediation was due to anthropomorphic appearance of the robot. Perceived agency and experience did not show similar mediating effects on human–machine distinctiveness, but a positive relation with perceived damage for humans and their identity. Possible explanations are discussed.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Robots increasingly act as our social counterparts in domains such as healthcare and retail. For these human-robot interactions (HRI) to be effective, a question arises on whether we trust robots the ...same way we trust humans. We investigated whether the determinants competence and warmth, known to influence interpersonal trust development, influence trust development in HRI, and what role anthropomorphism plays in this interrelation. In two online studies with 2 × 2 between-subjects design, we investigated the role of robot competence (Study 1) and robot warmth (Study 2) in trust development in HRI. Each study explored the role of robot anthropomorphism in the respective interrelation. Videos showing an HRI were used for manipulations of robot competence (through varying gameplay competence) and robot anthropomorphism (through verbal and non-verbal design cues and the robot's presentation within the study introduction) in Study 1 (
= 155) as well as robot warmth (through varying compatibility of intentions with the human player) and robot anthropomorphism (same as Study 1) in Study 2 (
= 157). Results show a positive effect of robot competence (Study 1) and robot warmth (Study 2) on trust development in robots regarding anticipated trust and attributed trustworthiness. Subjective perceptions of competence (Study 1) and warmth (Study 2) mediated the interrelations in question. Considering applied manipulations, robot anthropomorphism neither moderated interrelations of robot competence and trust (Study 1) nor robot warmth and trust (Study 2). Considering subjective perceptions, perceived anthropomorphism moderated the effect of perceived competence (Study 1) and perceived warmth (Study 2) on trust on an attributional level. Overall results support the importance of robot competence and warmth for trust development in HRI and imply transferability regarding determinants of trust development in interpersonal interaction to HRI. Results indicate a possible role of perceived anthropomorphism in these interrelations and support a combined consideration of these variables in future studies. Insights deepen the understanding of key variables and their interaction in trust dynamics in HRI and suggest possibly relevant design factors to enable appropriate trust levels and a resulting desirable HRI. Methodological and conceptual limitations underline benefits of a rather robot-specific approach for future research.
This study investigates the types of humor embedded in funny scientific posts on social media and their effects on engagement. We mapped the landscape of such posts on Twitter and Instagram through ...content analysis of their message attributes. Regression analyses were then conducted to examine how different humor types, communicative functions, and visual attributes were associated with liking, retweeting, and commenting. On Twitter, wordplay and satire were found to be positively related to posts’ engagement levels, while anthropomorphic humor was negatively associated with the presence of comments. On Instagram, humor had no relation to engagement.
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NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
It is taken for granted that anthropomorphising non-human species promotes pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours, but the literature appears to be conflicted on this topic. There is also little ...discussion in the literature as to whether there are different types of anthropomorphism that may be particularly associated with pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. This is the first systematic review to address the hypothesis that there is a significant association between anthropomorphism of nature and pro-environmental variables, and that anthropomorphism has a beneficial causal role. This review synthesises results from 25 studies (18 correlational; seven experimental) in addressing this hypothesis, weighting its conclusions by an appraisal of study quality. This review presents evidence from high quality studies that mind attribution to non-human entities is consistently associated with pro-environmental variables, and that inducing anthropomorphic perceptions of non-human entities can generate pro-environmental outcomes in some circumstances. The authors also summarise the highest-quality evidence with regard to the possible mediators of the relationship between anthropomorphism and pro-environmental variables, and consider the findings through the lens of the theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen, 1991). The implications of the findings for future research and conservation campaigns are discussed alongside a note of caution about the limitations and potential disadvantages of anthropomorphism.
•This review finds anthropomorphism to be linked with pro-environmental variables.•Mind attribution to animals and nature has been particularly well-researched.•There is evidence that anthropomorphism can increase pro-environmental outcomes.•Findings are applied to the Theory of Planned Behaviour.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Virtual live shopping platforms (VLSPs) are an innovative form of intelligent shopping DSS that offer brands novel opportunities to interact with customers. However, the impact of VLSPs on purchase ...intention and underlying mechanisms remains unexplored. Therefore, focusing on VLSPs' technical features is crucial for designing and developing their functionalities. This study addresses the research gaps by developing a theoretical model based on the theory of interactive media effects (TIME) to investigate the influence of VLSPs' technical features on customers' purchase intentions. The technical features of VLSPs are reflected in virtual streamers (anthropomorphism) and virtual live scenes (media richness) levels, respectively. Our results indicate that psychological distance plays a mediating role between anthropomorphism (full mediation) and customer engagement, as well as between media richness (partial mediation) and customer engagement in a survey of 299 VLSP users. Meanwhile, customer engagement is found to have a (full) mediating effect between psychological distance and purchase intention. Besides, we verified the chain mediating role of psychological distance and customer engagement between technical features (anthropomorphism and media richness) and purchase intention. Our research delineates effective technical improvement guidelines for practitioners in the VLSP domain. By elucidating the impact results and mechanisms of VLSPs' technical characteristics on user psychology and behavioral intention, our study offers valuable insights for those involved in VLSP development and implementation.
•Study virtual live shopping platforms (VLSPs) with theory of interactive media effects.•Examine the impact of VLSP technical features on customers' purchase intention.•VLSP technical features are reflected in anthropomorphism and media richness.•Psychological distance mediates between anthropomorphism (full) / media richness (partial) and customer engagement.•Customer engagement fully mediates between psychological distance and purchase intention.•Psychological distance and customer engagement act as a chain mediator between technical features and purchase intention.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Effective collaboration in immersive virtual environments requires to be able to communicate flawlessly using both verbal and non-verbal communication. We present two experiments investigating the ...impact of facial anthropomorphism on the sense of body ownership, avatar attractiveness, social presence and performance in two collaborative tasks. In the first experiment participants have to solve a construction game according to their partner’s instructions using three avatars presenting different facial properties. Results reveal no significant difference in terms of body ownership and social presence, but demonstrate significant differences in terms of attractiveness and completion duration of the collaborative task. Unexpectedly, correlation analyses also reveal a link between attractiveness and performance. The more attractive the avatar, the shorter the completion duration of the game. Our second experiment was designed to investigate further the potential impact of the task carried out on the sense of social presence using the same avatars. While we observed a very high sense of social presence in both tasks (asymmetric collaboration and negotiation) with every avatar, our results did not reveal significant difference between the three conditions. However, we observed statistically significant differences between the two task types. The scores of the co-presence and of the perceived message understanding dimensions of social presence were higher during the negotiation task. The sense of social presence appears to be task sensitive, especially when non-verbal communication becomes more important during face-to-face interaction in immersive collaborative virtual environments.
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•Body ownership is not significantly impacted by facial anthropomorphism.•Facial anthropomorphism of simple avatars impacts their perceived attractiveness.•Avatar attractiveness and performance in collaborative tasks are correlated.•Social presence is not significantly impacted by facial anthropomorphism.•Social presence in collaborative virtual environments is task sensitive.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
•User-agency elicits more positive responses from IoT users than object-agency.•Perceived connectedness with IoT mediates the effect of locus of agency.•IoT with human-like features provides users ...with greater perceived connectedness.•Anthropomorphism of IoT moderates the mediating effect of perceived connectedness.
In human-IoT interaction, both users and smart objects can exercise agency. This study examines how the relationship between the locus of agency (user vs. object) and interaction outcomes is mediated through sense of connectedness and how this mediated relationship is moderated by anthropomorphic cues. Results from a lab experiment (N = 94) indicate that users perceive their interactions more positively when they exercise their own agency than when the objects have agency. In addition, when the objects exert own agency, anthropomorphism elicits more positive user responses by increasing sense of connectedness.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
As food portion sizes increase, so too does the amount of energy consumed. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine whether the portion size preferences of individuals could be reduced. ...Across two experiments, this paper shows that a personally threatening health message that has been endorsed by a digestive system featuring anthropomorphic cues can reduce portion size preferences for energy dense foods and beverages, but only among those who feel powerless. This effect emerges because partially anthropomorphizing an internal body system transforms that system into an agent of social influence. The powerless, who are more sensitive to social influence than the powerful, will consequently be more attuned to threatening health information that has been endorsed by this partially anthropomorphized body system, shaping their behavioral preferences. Anthropomorphizing elements of the self may therefore represent a novel means for motivating behavior change.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
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