IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/mktlet/v36y2025i3d10.1007_s11002-024-09761-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Consequences of distinguishing anthropomorphism from animism in experimental manipulations

Author

Listed:
  • Malgorzata (Mags) Karpinska-Krakowiak

    (University of Lodz)

Abstract

Animism (perceiving an object as alive) and anthropomorphism (perceiving an object as a person) are two distinct cognitive processes, but they have often been conflated in marketing research. For example, the popular method of manipulating anthropomorphism with a cognitive task (i.e., instructing participants to imagine and describe a product as alive and human) pertains to both animism and anthropomorphism. No research has examined how distinguishing anthropomorphism from animism can be harmful/beneficial for marketing research, and what consequences one might expect from this distinction in experiments. Through three studies, I demonstrate that animism and anthropomorphism are separate processes, with anthropomorphism yielding less elaborate product-related descriptions than animism, which deflates persuasive outcomes in the experiments. These findings can assist researchers in refining their experimental manipulations and enable the discovery of marketing effects that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Suggested Citation

  • Malgorzata (Mags) Karpinska-Krakowiak, 2025. "Consequences of distinguishing anthropomorphism from animism in experimental manipulations," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 637-652, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:mktlet:v:36:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11002-024-09761-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11002-024-09761-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11002-024-09761-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11002-024-09761-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fangyuan Chen & Jaideep Sengupta & Rashmi Adaval, 2018. "Does Endowing a Product with Life Make One Feel More Alive? The Effect of Product Anthropomorphism on Consumer Vitality," Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, University of Chicago Press, vol. 3(4), pages 503-513.
    2. Sara Kim & Ann L. McGill, 2011. "Gaming with Mr. Slot or Gaming the Slot Machine? Power, Anthropomorphism, and Risk Perception," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 38(1), pages 94-107.
    3. Erik Hermann, 2022. "Anthropomorphized artificial intelligence, attachment, and consumer behavior," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 157-162, March.
    4. Ying Ding & Sunxu Xu, 2023. "Detrimental impact of contagious disease cues on consumer preference for anthropomorphic products," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 34(1), pages 139-153, March.
    5. Velasco, Franklin & Yang, Zhiyong & Janakiraman, Narayanan, 2021. "A meta-analytic investigation of consumer response to anthropomorphic appeals: The roles of product type and uncertainty avoidance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 735-746.
    6. Aparna A. Labroo & Ravi Dhar & Norbert Schwarz, 2008. "Of Frog Wines and Frowning Watches: Semantic Priming, Perceptual Fluency, and Brand Evaluation," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 34(6), pages 819-831, October.
    7. Julia D. Hur & Minjung Koo & Wilhelm Hofmann, 2015. "When Temptations Come Alive: How Anthropomorphism Undermines Self-Control," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 42(2), pages 340-358.
    8. Pierrick Gomez & Carolina O. C. Werle & Olivier Corneille, 2017. "The pitfall of nutrition facts label fluency: easier-to-process nutrition information enhances purchase intentions for unhealthy food products," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 15-27, March.
    9. Seo Young Kim & Bernd H. Schmitt & Nadia M. Thalmann, 2019. "Eliza in the uncanny valley: anthropomorphizing consumer robots increases their perceived warmth but decreases liking," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 1-12, March.
    10. Smriti Kumar & Elizabeth G. Miller & Martin Mende & Maura L. Scott, 2022. "Language matters: humanizing service robots through the use of language during the COVID-19 pandemic," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 33(4), pages 607-623, December.
    11. Markus Blut & Cheng Wang & Nancy V. Wünderlich & Christian Brock, 2021. "Understanding anthropomorphism in service provision: a meta-analysis of physical robots, chatbots, and other AI," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 632-658, July.
    12. Karpinska-Krakowiak, Malgorzata & Eisend, Martin, 2021. "The Effects of Animistic Thinking, Animistic Cues, and Superstitions on Brand Responses on Social Media," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 104-117.
    13. Lane Peterson Fronczek & Martin Mende & Maura L. Scott & Gergana Y. Nenkov & Anders Gustafsson, 2023. "Friend or foe? Can anthropomorphizing self-tracking devices backfire on marketers and consumers?," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(5), pages 1075-1097, September.
    14. Pankaj Aggarwal & Ann L. McGill, 2007. "Is That Car Smiling at Me? Schema Congruity as a Basis for Evaluating Anthropomorphized Products," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 34(4), pages 468-479, June.
    15. Pankaj Aggarwal & Ann L. Mcgill, 2012. "When Brands Seem Human, Do Humans Act Like Brands? Automatic Behavioral Priming Effects of Brand Anthropomorphism," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 39(2), pages 307-323.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Karpinska-Krakowiak, Malgorzata & Eisend, Martin, 2021. "The Effects of Animistic Thinking, Animistic Cues, and Superstitions on Brand Responses on Social Media," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 104-117.
    2. Huang, Jingya & Wang, Liangyan & Chan, Eugene, 2024. "When does anthropomorphism hurt? How tool anthropomorphism negatively affects consumers' rewards for tool users," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    3. Justina Sidlauskiene & Yannick Joye & Vilte Auruskeviciene, 2023. "AI-based chatbots in conversational commerce and their effects on product and price perceptions," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-21, December.
    4. Velasco, Franklin & Yang, Zhiyong & Janakiraman, Narayanan, 2021. "A meta-analytic investigation of consumer response to anthropomorphic appeals: The roles of product type and uncertainty avoidance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 735-746.
    5. Liu, Fu & Wei, Haiying & Zhu, Zhenzhong & Chen, Haipeng (Allan), 2022. "Warmth or competence: Brand anthropomorphism, social exclusion, and advertisement effectiveness," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    6. Li, Xueni (Shirley) & Kim, Sara & Chan, Kimmy Wa & McGill, Ann L., 2023. "Detrimental effects of anthropomorphism on the perceived physical safety of artificial agents in dangerous situations," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 841-864.
    7. Aubel Martin & Pikturniene Indre & Joye Yannick, 2022. "Risk Perception and Risk Behavior in Response to Service Robot Anthropomorphism in Banking," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 30(2), pages 26-42, June.
    8. Han, Nah Ray & Baek, Tae Hyun & Yoon, Sukki & Kim, Yeonshin, 2019. "Is that coffee mug smiling at me? How anthropomorphism impacts the effectiveness of desirability vs. feasibility appeals in sustainability advertising," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 352-361.
    9. Golossenko, Artyom & Pillai, Kishore Gopalakrishna & Aroean, Lukman, 2020. "Seeing brands as humans: Development and validation of a brand anthropomorphism scale," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 737-755.
    10. Xie, Yi & Chen, Ke & Guo, Xiaoling, 2020. "Online anthropomorphism and consumers’ privacy concern: Moderating roles of need for interaction and social exclusion," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    11. Aubel Martin & Pikturniene Indre & Joye Yannick, 2022. "Risk Perception and Risk Behavior in Response to Service Robot Anthropomorphism in Banking," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 30(1), pages 26-42, June.
    12. Ketron, Seth & Naletelich, Kelly, 2019. "Victim or beggar? Anthropomorphic messengers and the savior effect in consumer sustainability behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 73-84.
    13. Baskentli, Sara & Hadi, Rhonda & Lee, Leonard, 2023. "How culture shapes consumer responses to anthropomorphic products," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 495-512.
    14. Alabed, Amani & Javornik, Ana & Gregory-Smith, Diana, 2022. "AI anthropomorphism and its effect on users' self-congruence and self–AI integration: A theoretical framework and research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    15. Sara Kim & Rocky Peng Chen & Ke Zhang, 2016. "Anthropomorphized Helpers Undermine Autonomy and Enjoyment in Computer Games," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 43(2), pages 282-302.
    16. van Esch, Patrick & Cui, Yuanyuan (Gina) & Sledge, April & Das, Gopal & Pala, Erol, 2023. "Preference for partner or servant brand roles depends on consumers’ power distance belief," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    17. Lili Wang & Maferima Touré-Tillery & Ann L. McGill, 2023. "The effect of disease anthropomorphism on compliance with health recommendations," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 266-285, March.
    18. Sharma, Monika & Rahman, Zillur, 2022. "Anthropomorphic brand management: An integrated review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 463-475.
    19. Maria Vernuccio & Michela Patrizi & Maja Šerić & Alberto Pastore, 2023. "The perceptual antecedents of brand anthropomorphism in the name-brand voice assistant context," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 30(4), pages 302-317, July.
    20. Qin, Huanyu & Xie, Zhipeng & Ding, Chen & Wang, Jingyuan & Xu, Yi, 2024. "Healing or hesitation? The impact of anthropomorphism on consumers' repair intentions for products," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:mktlet:v:36:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11002-024-09761-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.