Article ID: 2024-013
This study examined whether individuals experience empathic responses toward inanimate objects, with a particular focus on anthropomorphic products that resemble humans or animals, and investigated how such responses are associated with individual differences by conducting two experiments (Experiment 1: n＝50; Experiment 2: n＝55). Animal-shaped food products (e.g., panda-shaped sweets) were used as anthropomorphic stimuli, whereas non-anthropomorphic food products (e.g., donuts) served as control stimuli. In Experiment 1, participants were presented with image stimuli manipulating anthropomorphism (anthropomorphic vs. non-anthropomorphic) and object condition (damaged vs. intact). The results indicated that damaged anthropomorphic products elicited significantly stronger negative emotional responses than damaged non-anthropomorphic products, with emotions intensifying as the severity of damage increased. In Experiment 2, the associations between empathy for inanimate objects and individual characteristics—specifically dispositional empathy and animistic thinking—were explored. The findings revealed that empathy for inanimate objects was positively correlated with general empathy and all subscales of animistic thinking, particularly “anthropomorphism of possessions.” Collectively, these findings suggest that empathy responses toward inanimate objects are not merely situational reactions but are systematically related to broader cognitive and emotional tendencies, particularly animistic thinking and empathy.
