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

Authors: Mohamed M. Mostafa; Hayat E. Albloushy

Addresses: Gulf University for Science and Technology, West Mishref, Kuwait ' The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: product anthropomorphism; comparative judgement; cross-cultural research; Kuwait.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCM.2021.120040

International Journal of Comparative Management, 2021 Vol.4 No.1, pp.71 - 91

Received: 04 Jun 2021
Accepted: 23 Sep 2021
Published online: 04 Jan 2022 *

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