Anthropomorphism and Anthropomorphic Selection—Beyond the "Cute Response"

By J. Serpell. 2002

357 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Subfields: Cognitive Neuroscience, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Genetics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/0d50f44a41949e96c60858120a98ff9150bc6022

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Cognitive Neuroscience

1. Adam Waytz
2. S. Batt
3. C. Wynne
4. T. Anderson
5. S. Staats
6. Heidi Wallace
7. Alice E. Hall
8. M. Harrison

In Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

1. Nicholas Epley
2. Adam Waytz
3. John T. Cacioppo
4. C. Wynne
5. S. Batt
6. T. Anderson
7. S. Staats
8. Heidi Wallace

In Genetics

1. C. Wynne
2. F. Cirulli
3. M. Borgi
4. S. Batt
5. J. A. Griffin
6. N. Gee
7. S. McCune
8. T. Anderson

Citations in the corpus

• Anthropomorphism, empathy, and perceived communicative ability vary with phylogenetic relatedness to humans. (2010, background): “However, whether we are correct or not in such attributions, evidence suggests that we are apt to attribute “humanness” to non-human animals, and this may itself fulfill very human social needs (Epley, Waytz, Akalis, & Cacioppo, 2008) and may even afford us a reproductive advantage by securing anima”
• Trainability and boldness traits differ between dog breed clusters based on conventional breed categories and genetic relatedness (2011, unknown): “However , dogs today are usually regarded as family members or as companions in Western-cultures (Kubinyi et al., 2009; Serpell, 2003) and are generally no longer utilised in their original role.”
• WHEN WE NEED A HUMAN: MOTIVATIONAL DETERMINANTS OF ANTHROPOMORPHISM (2008, background): “…relatively trivial agents such as pets or their computers is actually all that trivial. nonhuman agents, from dogs to gods, serve as a source of social connection, and the link between connection to these nonhuman agents and one’s health and well–being is well documented (Serpell, 1991, 2003).”
• Saving Mr. Nature: Anthropomorphism enhances connectedness to and protectiveness toward nature (2013, background): “By anthropomorphizing nonhuman agents, individuals can establish the social connectedness they need (Epley et al., 2007; Serpell, 2003).”
• Attitudes toward Animals among Kindergarten Children: Species Preferences (2015, background): “…represented as highly anthropomorphized, or that are perceived as infantile and cute, evoke positive affect (Kellert and Westervelt 1984; lawrence 1986; Gunnthorsdottir 2001; Serpell 2002) and are consistently preferred both by adults and children (archer and monton 2011; Borgi and Cirulli 2013).”
• Teachers' experiences with humane education and animals in the elementary classroom: implications for empathy development (2010, background): “While this may simply be the logical behaviour of a young child, it is important to consider that the anthropomorphisation of pets—assigning them ‘human-like’ characteristics—can provide a type of social support for the human owner (Serpell, 2002).”
• Human attitudes towards animals in relation to species similarity to humans: a multivariate approach (2009, background): “application of human mental states to non-human animals(16) and a form of identification with that species.(16) Though anthropomorphism has the potential to cause an overestimation of similarities, it also appears to increase interest, care and concern for a species.”
• Anthropomorphized species as tools for conservation: utility beyond prosocial, intelligent and suffering species (2013, background): “This may have several anthropomorphic outcomes, such as empathy for the pet’s feelings, the use of agentive language to describe the pet’s behavior, and the inclusion of the pet as an actor in certain social interactions (e.g. Serpell 2003).”
• Current challenges to research on animal-assisted interventions (2017, background): “foreheads, flattened muzzles, drooping ears, attachment related behaviors, and so on—in species and breeds of animals used predominantly for companionship (Serpell, 2003).”
• What are animals? Why anthropomorphism is still not a scientific approach to behavior (2006, background): “Small children will label any self-propelled or animal-shaped object with human agency (Serpell, 2003).”
• Reasons for Companion Animal Guardianship (Pet Ownership) from Two Populations (2008, result): “Th e results of this nonrandom sample are comparable in general with the random- probability sample of university faculty as well as pet-owner demographics for this area (AVMA, 1997; Staats, 2006).”