University of Twente Student Theses
HUMAN-LIKE PRODUCTS : The Effect of 'Facial' Expressions of Different Product Types on Overall Impression and the Need to Build Up Relationship
Riesenbeck, J. (2016) HUMAN-LIKE PRODUCTS : The Effect of 'Facial' Expressions of Different Product Types on Overall Impression and the Need to Build Up Relationship.
|
PDF
1MB |
| Abstract: | When designing products, companies and brands sometimes try to employ shapes that are emotionally appealing by anthropomorphizing a product's appearance. The current study focuses on the effect of 'facial' expressions of different product types on overall impression of a product and on the need to build up relationship with, on the one hand, consumer durables and, on the other hand, fast moving consumer goods. It is hypothesized that anthropomorphism has an influence on the overall impression of a product and on the need to build up relationship with a product. Further, it is expected that the need to build up relationship with an anthropomorphized consumer durable is more likely than the need to build up relationship with a FMCG. A 5 (facial expressions) x 2 (product types) experiment was conducted. The results of the study show several significant effects. The study investigated that the need to build up a relationship with an anthropomorphized product does not depend on the product type alone but in fact on the 'facial' expression the product exhibits. Furthermore, it was found that anthropomorphized consumer durables show more positive effects on the present dependent variables when their design contains angry design elements. However, anthropomorphized bottles with mineral water show more positive effects on these variables when their design contains friendly elements. Limitations and implications will be discussed and suggestions for future research are given. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 05 communication studies |
| Programme: | Communication Studies MSc (60713) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/69514 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
Show download statistics for this publication
Show download statistics for this publicationRepository Staff Only: item control page