Making sense by making sentient: effectance motivation increases anthropomorphism

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Anthropomorphism, attributing human-like qualities to nonhuman entities, is common but its drivers are poorly understood.
• Existing research has not fully explored the psychological underpinnings of why people anthropomorphize.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the determinants of anthropomorphism, specifically examining the role of effectance motivation.
• To demonstrate that anthropomorphism serves to satisfy the need for environmental mastery.

Main Methods:

• Five experimental studies manipulated effectance motivation by altering agent predictability and mastery incentives.
• Neuroimaging (fMRI) was used to examine brain activity during anthropomorphism.
• A final study assessed the impact of anthropomorphism on perceived predictability.

Main Results:

• Increased effectance motivation significantly predicted higher levels of anthropomorphism.
• Neural activity associated with anthropomorphism overlapped with brain regions involved in mentalizing other humans.
• Anthropomorphizing a nonhuman agent increased its perceived predictability and understandability.

Conclusions:

• Anthropomorphism is partly driven by the fundamental motivation to achieve mastery and reduce environmental uncertainty.
• Attributing human-like characteristics to nonhuman agents is a strategy to make the world more predictable and understandable.
• The findings link basic psychological needs to a common cognitive and social phenomenon.