Does Endowing a Product with Life Make One Feel More Alive? The Effect of Product Anthropomorphism on Consumer Vitality

Abstract

While most research in the area of product anthropomorphism examines how making products more humanlike can influence subsequent consumer reactions to those products, the present research examines how the act of anthropomorphizing products can influence consumers themselves. We propose that when consumers have an insufficient sense of either connectedness or competence, anthropomorphizing a product satisfies these deficiencies and increases vitality. Furthermore, this enhanced vitality has positive implications for individuals' capacity to exert selfcontrol in unrelated domains. A set of three studies provides support for these hypotheses. By demonstrating the positive effect of anthropomorphism on consumer vitality and self-control, this research illuminates the nature of anthropomorphism. In doing so, we also connect two streams of literature: one on anthropomorphism and the other on vitality, which share an inherent connection that has not been explicated by past research.Fangyuan Chen (fychen@polyu.edu.hk) is an assistant professor of marketing at

A Mind like Mine: The Exceptionally Ordinary Underpinnings of Anthropomorphism

“…A motivation to form a social bond with a nonhuman agent, such as a god or a pet, might then increase attention to the mind of these nonhuman agents, thereby increasing the likelihood of perceiving humanlike traits in them. Several experiments have supported this hypothesis involving nonhuman animals and religious agents (Epley et al 2008;Aydin, Fischer, and Frey 2010;Powers et al 2014;Bartz, Tchalova, and Fenerci 2016) and also consumer products (Mourey, Olson, and Yoon 2017;Chen, Sengupta, and Adaval 2018). The second motivation is a desire to explain, predict, and therefore potentially control another agent.…”

“…All of the articles related to anthropomorphism in this special issue, however, demonstrate an important interaction between the motivation of the consumer and the specific features of the object being evaluated. In Chen et al (2018), the match between a person's motivation to connect and the nature of the product being evaluated (whether it was social or functional) was essential for predicting consumer preferences. In Newman (2018), a narrative that presumably enabled some anthropomorphism of an object by implying mental states of intentions, emotions, attitudes, and so on, affected the perceived value and willingness to pay for an object only when the object itself was animistic (and presumably more capable of being anthropomorphized).…”

“…This wide range of additional consequences provides many interesting opportunities for future research. Chen et al (2018) begins doing some of this work by examining the consequences of anthropomorphism on consumer well-being. Or, at least on a consumer's sense of vitality.…”

The 3 C's of anthropomorphism: Connection, comprehension, and competition

“…When nonhuman entities are anthropomorphized, they become active agents that can be a source of belonging and social connection for consumers. Engaging in anthropomorphism can help satisfy consumers’ fundamental needs for connection and competence, leading to enhanced well‐being (Chen, Sengupta, & Adaval, ). These anthropomorphized entities have the ability (at least in part) to fulfill people's belongingness needs and inoculate them against the social and psychological pain of loneliness (Reimann, Nuñez, & Castano, ).…”

“…Lonely individuals are more likely to anthropomorphize technological gadgets by perceiving them as having a mind of their own (Epley et al., ) and more likely to feel attached to and favor anthropomorphized products after giving them an affectionate gesture like a hug (Hadi & Valenzuela, ). Fulfilling the fundamental need for social connection through anthropomorphic products can also result in positive consequences by enhancing feelings of energy and vitality and, in turn, strengthening self‐control (Chen et al., ).…”