{"id":597427,"date":"2023-09-23T11:43:36","date_gmt":"2023-09-23T09:43:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.nl\/?p=597427"},"modified":"2023-10-16T11:14:01","modified_gmt":"2023-10-16T09:14:01","slug":"anthropomorphism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/anthropomorphism\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Anthropomorphism? | Definition &#038; Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Anthropomorphism<\/strong> is the attribution of human traits, feelings, and behaviors to inanimate objects, nonhuman animals, or nature. Anthropomorphism can occur consciously or unconsciously and is a common way people perceive the world.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Anthropomorphism examples<\/figcaption><ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Children may attribute human-like personalities to their toys.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Adults blame their cars or computers for \u201cnot cooperating\u201d with them.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Cartoons are often populated by anthropomorphic animals, (e.g., Winnie-the-Pooh), vehicles (e.g., Thomas the Tank Engine), and objects (e.g., the characters in <em>Toy Story<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Marketers use anthropomorphic mascots for commercial products (e.g., the Pillsbury Doughboy) and services (e.g., the Geico insurance gecko).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Although anthropomorphic thinking is an innate human tendency, it can cause us to misunderstand natural phenomena or animal behavior.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what\">What is anthropomorphism?<\/h2>\n<p>Anthropomorphism is the attribution of distinctively human characteristics to nonhuman entities. The word \u201canthropomorphism\u201d derives from the Greek <a href=index-4401.html>root words<\/a> \u201canthropos\u201d (\u201chuman&#8221;) and \u201cmorphe\u201d (\u201cform\u201d).<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"colorbox\" href=index-4405.html><img decoding=\"async\" src=index-4405.html width=\"640px\" lt=\"Anthropomorphism\" class=\"mb-3 mt-3 aligncenter\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Originally, anthropomorphism was the ascription of human traits, like physical characteristics or feelings, to deities. Today, anthropomorphism has a broader meaning and involves perceiving inanimate objects, animals, and natural phenomena as possessing human characteristics, personalities, and intentions (for example, people often give hurricanes and storms human names).<\/p>\n<p>In science, machines and robots are often described in terms of human behavior, and anthropomorphism is applied intentionally in AI assistants like Alexa and online chatbots to make them more user friendly.<\/p>\n<p>Anthropomorphism is also used as a <strong>literary device<\/strong> in art, literature, and film to create relatable characters (e.g., the droids in <em>Star Wars<\/em>) or to tell an allegorical story (e.g., George Orwell\u2019s <em>Animal Farm<\/em>).<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"why\">Why do we use anthropomorphism?<\/h2>\n<p>Anthropomorphism is common for several reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>We make inferences based on ourselves. <\/strong>Anthropomorphism helps us make sense of the world around us. When we encounter an unknown situation, we tend to explain it by drawing on what we know best (i.e., our knowledge about humans). For instance, pet owners often believe that their pet did something bad \u201con purpose\u201d or that it feels \u201cguilty.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>We try to cope with threatening situations.<\/strong> For example, in the context of natural disasters, phrases like \u201cnature is sending us a message\u201d and \u201cnature always strikes back\u201d portray nature as vengeful, which is a human trait. By doing so, humans attribute meaning to natural events.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>We are social species.<\/strong> Anthropomorphism can fulfill our social need for companionship. When we attribute familiar emotions or attitudes to nonhuman entities, it\u2019s easier for us to feel connected to them. One example of this is the use of social robots as companions for elderly people.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>It is used as a creative technique.<\/strong> Writers use anthropomorphism to create vivid characters and tell stories that are relatable and engaging. Anthropomorphism is also commonly used in fables and myths to help convey moral lessons, cultural values, and complex ideas in a format that is both entertaining and easily comprehensible.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"personification\">Anthropomorphism vs. personification<\/h2>\n<p>The terms \u201canthropomorphism\u201d and \u201cpersonification\u201d are often used interchangeably. However, they are distinct literary devices.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Anthropomorphism <\/strong>is the attribution of human characteristics, emotions, or intentions to nonhuman entities or objects. For example, the anthropomorphic animals in <em>The Jungle Book<\/em> have their own personalities, thoughts, and emotions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Personification <\/strong>is a type of <strong>figurative language<\/strong>. Abstract qualities, animals, or inanimate objects are described as having human traits. For example, the sentence \u201cthe wind whispered through the leaves\u201d personifies the wind because it describes it as having the human ability to whisper.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With anthropomorphism, the application of human traits is literal. However, with personification, it is <a href=index-4390.html>metaphorical<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"examples\">Anthropomorphism examples<\/h2>\n<p>Anthropomorphism is a common literary device not only in children&#8217;s stories and fairy tales but also novels.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"examples\">Anthropomorphism in literature<\/h3>\n<p>Lewis Carroll&#8217;s <em>Alice&#8217;s Adventures in Wonderland<\/em> is set in a fantasy world inhabited by various anthropomorphic animals, such as the hookah-smoking Caterpillar.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Anthropomorphism in <em>Alice&#8217;s Adventures in Wonderland<\/em><\/figcaption>&#8220;The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice. \u2018Who are you?\u2019 said the Caterpillar.&#8221;<\/figure>\n<p>In George Orwell&#8217;s <em>Animal Farm<\/em>, farm animals exhibit human characteristics like resilience and pride.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Anthropomorphism in <em>Animal farm<\/em><\/figcaption>&#8220;And yet the animals never gave up hope. More, they never lost, even for an instant, their sense of honour and privilege in being members of Animal Farm.&#8221;<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"examples\">Anthropomorphism in pop culture<\/h3>\n<p>Anthropomorphic characters also often appear in pop culture because they are likable and relatable.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Anthropomorphism in pop culture<\/figcaption>\u201cMoe anthropomorphism\u201d is a common type of anthropomorphism in Japanese media like video games, anime, and manga. \u201cMoe\u201d is a Japanese word referring to feelings of adoration towards cute fictional characters.<\/p>\n<p>With moe anthropomorphism, nonhuman beings, objects, and concepts are reimagined as cute anime characters (usually female). For example, in video games like <em>Kantai Collection<\/em> and <em>Azur Lane<\/em>, players engage in gameplay using \u201cship girls.\u201d These are anthropomorphized WWII warships depicted as young women with personality and characteristics reflecting the history of each ship.<\/p>\n<p>These anthropomorphized characters or representations are designed to elicit feelings of affection from the audience, often resulting in a dedicated fanbase and merchandise.<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"other\">Other interesting language articles<\/h2>\n<p>If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, common mistakes, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-user-circle\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em> Nouns &amp; pronouns<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=index-3566.html>Common nouns<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3564.html>Proper nouns<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3581.html>Collective nouns<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3477.html>Personal pronouns<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3582.html>Uncountable and countable nouns<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-book\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em> Verbs<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=index-3386.html>Verb tenses<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-4037.html>Phrasal verbs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-4360.html>Sentence structure<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3476.html>Active vs passive voice<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3540.html>Subject-verb agreement<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-globe\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em> Other <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=index-3571.html>Articles<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-4090.html>Interjections<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3479.html>Adjectives<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3525.html>Determiners<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3572.html>Prepositions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <h2>Frequently asked questions <\/h2>\n<dl class=\"faq-list faq-list--arrows w-100 my-5\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"opposite-anthropomorphism\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4406.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What is the opposite of anthropomorphism?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"opposite-anthropomorphism-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>The opposite of <a href=index-3478.html><strong>anthropomorphism<\/strong><\/a> is dehumanization. It is the process whereby people fail to attribute human-like characteristics to other humans and treat them like nonhuman animals or objects.<\/p>\n<p>Dehumanization involves describing members of a particular <a href=index-4407.html>outgroup<\/a> as less sentient and civilized than the members of an ingroup, and thus not worthy of humane treatment. A typical strategy is referring to the targets of prejudice as \u201cvermin\u201d or \u201canimals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"anthropomorphism-problematic\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4408.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Why is anthropomorphism problematic?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"anthropomorphism-problematic-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>Although <a href=index-3478.html><strong>anthropomorphism<\/strong><\/a> helps us view other animals with compassion, it can also be problematic. By attributing human traits to nonhuman animals, our understanding of their needs and behaviors becomes biased. This can lead to several problems, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Behavioral problems<\/strong>. People may project their own assumptions and conclude that animals act out of malice or spite when they are simply following their instincts.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Welfare problems<\/strong>. Anthropomorphism can also lead people to overfeed their pets, provide them with unsuitable foods (e.g., vegan diets), or compromise their health by dressing them with clothes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Anthropomorphism can create unrealistic expectations for animals and missed opportunities for understanding their actual behaviors.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"anthropomorphism-apa\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4409.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Is anthropomorphism allowed in APA style?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"anthropomorphism-apa-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>In academic writing,<a href=index-3478.html><strong> anthropomorphism<\/strong><\/a> results in ambiguous and imprecise phrasing and thus should be avoided. Although APA style recommends avoiding anthropomorphism, it also notes that if a construction is in widespread use and its meaning is unambiguous, it does not constitute anthropomorphism.<\/p>\n<p>The best approach is to familiarize yourself with acceptable phrasings by reading academic articles. For example, the phrase \u201cthe study found that &#8230;\u201d may be anthropomorphic since the study cannot find anything, only researchers can. However, it is an acceptable phrase in <a href=index-1794.html>academic writing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/dl>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, feelings, and behaviors to inanimate objects, nonhuman animals, or nature. Anthropomorphism can occur consciously or unconsciously and is a common way people perceive the world. Anthropomorphism examples Children may attribute human-like personalities to their toys. Adults blame their cars or computers for \u201cnot cooperating\u201d with them. Cartoons are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":157,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":""},"categories":[87],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>What Is Anthropomorphism? | Definition &amp; Examples<\/title>\n
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