Carnegie Mellon University HCII
Carnegie Mellon University HCII
anthropomorphism.org
anthropomorphism.org

Psychology: Perceiving Life

Why do we anthropomorphize?

Anthropomorphism is a psychological process that often starts with animism.

Psychologists have shown that animistic perceptions are automatic and show up in very early infancy. The studies with infants track their eye movements and stares. Infants stare longer at objects that move purposefully.


Here is a robot moving in a self-directed, purposeful trajectory, making it seem animate.


Here is a robot that does not look animate. The robot jumps regardless of the situation.

Reading

Scholl, B. J., & Tremoulet, P. D. (2000). Perceptual causality and animacy. Trends in cognitive science, 4, 200-309.

See lots more in our bibliography.

 

Next: Perceiving Humanlikeness