Kansei Evaluations of Anthropomorphic Expression in Design Across Various Cultures: Focus on Japan, Korea, and Thailand

抄録

It has not yet been clarified whether the preferred and disliked aspects of anthropomorphism and its effects differ across countries with distinct cultural backgrounds. Therefore, this study aims to investigate cross-cultural differences in preferences and perceptions of anthropomorphic product design, including representations of the whole human body or specific body parts. Specifically, by conducting a Kansei evaluation using case studies of product designs with anthropomorphic features, this study aims to reveal trends in anthropomorphism’s preferred and disliked aspects and its effects across different cultures. Through factor analysis, key factors such as "Overall Evaluation of Good Design," "Energetic and Fun Design," and "Bold and Impactful Design" are extracted. Furthermore, an analysis of the relationship between these factors and preferences in each country reveals that in Thailand, "Energetic and Fun Design" and "Bold and Impactful Design" are preferred, while in South Korea, "Energetic and Fun Design" is favored. Conversely, in Japan, these design characteristics tended to be disliked. Furthermore, this study reveals the existence of unique preferences and aversions to specific anthropomorphic expressions in each country, indicating that preferences for anthropomorphic product designs vary significantly across cultures. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the development of international guidelines for integrating anthropomorphism into product design.