The Cognitive Bases of Anthropomorphism: From Relatedness to Empathy

Anthropomorphism in Human–Robot Co-evolution

“…Anthropomorphism would then be an evolutionary adaptation that, according to many authors, is inseparable from religion and is often associated with the existence of a Hyperactive Agency Detection Device (HADD) (Barrett, 1998; Westh, 2009). This re-evaluation of anthropomorphism is reinforced by recent findings in cognitive sciences, which question its classic (for example, Piagetian) psychological understanding that confines anthropomorphism to the early childhood, and essentially views it as a cognitive mistake (Airenti, 2015). This new conception argues that anthropomorphism constitutes a fundamental and permanent dimension of the human mind, rather than an early stage of its cognitive development, that is grounded in neural mechanisms also found in other older species, and which is modulated by individual traits (Duffy, 2003; Złotowski et al, 2015; Levillain and Zibetti, 2017).…”

“…Anthropomorphism is generally understood as the human tendency to attribute human traits to non-human entities (Epley et al, 2007; Złotowski et al, 2015), or to treat “non-human behavior as motivated by human feelings and mental states” (Airenti, 2015). As such, traditionally it has been viewed as a bias, a category mistake, an obstacle to the advancement of knowledge, and as a psychological disposition typical of those who are immature and unenlightened, i.e., young children and “primitive people” (e.g., Caporael, 1986; Fisher, 1996; Mitchell, 2005).…”

Behavioral Objects: The Rise of the Evocative Machines

“…Anthropomorphism is a widespread concept in the domain of HRI (Bartneck, Kulić, Croft, & Zoghbi, 2009;Fink, 2012) but the assumptions regrouped under the concept are rarely exposed (Zawieska, Duffy, & Strońska, 2012). In a general sense, anthropomorphism refers to the attribution of human characteristics to nonhuman entities, an object, an animal, or a natural phenomenon (Airenti, 2015;Epley, Waytz, & Cacioppo, 2007). As put by Airenti (2015), anthropomorphism corresponds to the explanation of "nonhuman behavior as motivated by human feelings and mental states."…”

“…In a general sense, anthropomorphism refers to the attribution of human characteristics to nonhuman entities, an object, an animal, or a natural phenomenon (Airenti, 2015;Epley, Waytz, & Cacioppo, 2007). As put by Airenti (2015), anthropomorphism corresponds to the explanation of "nonhuman behavior as motivated by human feelings and mental states." Sketched in such general terms, the notion of anthropomorphism is at risk of lumping together two different situations and perhaps two different sets of psychological mechanisms: 1) imbuing nonhuman entities with properties and values specifically suited to the description and interpretation of human behavior; 2) inferring psychological attributes from the way a nonhuman entity moves and reacts to its environment.…”

Empatia, antropomorfismo e cognição animal

“…También se sabe que intervienen en la producción de esos efectos factores cognitivos y motivacionales, muy similares a los identificados para la empatía. Epley et al (2007; distinguen dos factores motivacionales: el deseo de sentirse competente o de interactuar eficazmente con el entorno y la socialidad o la necesidad de establecer vínculos sociales con otros seres humanos, cuya ausencia es compensada "haciendo humanos" a agentes no humanos (Véase también Serpell 2003;Airenti 2015). Un tercer factor sería el conocimiento disponible.…”