Anthropomorphism and consumer attitudes: a cross-cultural comparison of Kuwait and the USA

The term 'anthropomorphism' is derived from two Greek words signifying 'human form'. Anthropomorphism has recently received considerable academic attention. However, very limited previous research has addressed this topic cross-culturally. In this study, we fill this research gap by examining whether anthropomorphism affects consumers' comparative judgement in a cross-cultural setting involving Kuwait and the USA. Consistent with prior limited cross-national research on anthropomorphism, our results support the notion that consumers' comparative judgement is affected by anthropomorphised objects. Results also show that anthropomorphised objects elicit significantly different cross-cultural attitudes, lending strong support to the culture-specific hypothesis. The findings of our study represent an important contribution to the literature on anthropomorphism and they hold important theoretical and applied implications for cross-cultural research. From a practical perspective, results are also important for the different stakeholders who may want to consider using anthropomorphism to increase their strategic presence in the market.