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Investigating how Reddit users discuss Anthropomorphism and Identification regarding the Movie “Avatar – The Way of Water”

Ausländer, H.J. (2024) Investigating how Reddit users discuss Anthropomorphism and Identification regarding the Movie “Avatar – The Way of Water”.

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Abstract:Anthropomorphism, the attribution of human characteristics to non-human beings, is often used in films to foster emotional engagement. The Avatar movies, by James Cameron, explore themes of environmental protection and nature connection, using anthropomorphism to enhance identification with animated characters. The production team of Avatar employed advanced motion capture techniques to create realistic, human-like movements, aiming for even greater realism in Avatar 2: The Way of Water. This study investigates the impact of anthropomorphism and character identification in Avatar 2 through text mining techniques. By analyzing discussions on the “r/Avatar” subreddit with Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), the study explores how fans perceive the anthropomorphic portrayal of the Na’vi characters and their identification with them. Initially, keywords related to anthropomorphism and identification were searched to assess their presence in discussions. Textual data from discussions up to March 19, 2024, were filtered, resulting in 9885 posts. Findings reveal that fans discuss both the outer appearance and inner characteristics of the Na’vi, with identification towards them, sometimes even more than with human characters. Despite limitations, this study provides valuable insights for further research and the film industry on factors enhancing identification with animated characters.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:77 psychology
Programme:Psychology MSc (66604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/102091
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