In an era where products increasingly blur the lines between lifeless objects and seemingly sentient companions, understanding how consumers emotionally interact with anthropomorphic products is pivotal. Recent research by Lu, Wang, Zhang, et al., published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, delivers groundbreaking insights into the nuanced emotional landscape that unfolds when these humanlike products fail. Their multidisciplinary approach, combining behavioral analysis and neurophysiological evidence, reveals a complex narrative of consumer dissatisfaction rooted not merely in cognitive appraisals but also in implicit emotional processing mechanisms.
Anthropomorphism—the endowment of human traits, emotions, and intentions to non-human entities—has long been employed in product design to foster emotional attachment and engagement. While such design strategies often succeed at attracting initial consumer attention and forging emotional bonds, this new research emphasizes a darker side that emerges when anthropomorphic products underperform or fail. Contrary to traditional assumptions that humanlike qualities might soften disappointment, the findings illustrate that anthropomorphism actually amplifies dissatisfaction following product failures.
The team conducted two distinct but complementary studies to explore this phenomenon. The first was a behavioral experiment assessing consumer satisfaction in scenarios involving product failures with both anthropomorphic and non-anthropomorphic products. Findings indicated a marked reduction in satisfaction for anthropomorphic items, a counterintuitive result given their emotional appeal. This raised vital questions about the underlying emotional dynamics that standard self-reported measures could not fully capture.
To probe these invisible emotional undercurrents, the researchers implemented a second study employing event-related potentials (ERP), a sophisticated neurophysiological technique that tracks brain activity with millisecond precision. This method elucidated how anthropomorphic product features engage automatic emotional processing from the very onset of encountering failure-related information. Crucially, ERP components such as P2 and the Late Positive Potential (LPP) were analyzed to dissect the temporal sequence of these emotional responses, revealing an initial allocation of heightened attentional resources followed by sustained negative emotional arousal.
The P2 component, generally linked to early automatic attentional processes, was found to surge when consumers processed information about failed anthropomorphic products. This suggests an instinctual cognitive violation—an automatic recognition that the product’s performance clashes with expectations amplified by its humanlike qualities. In later stages, indexed by the LPP—a marker of sustained emotional processing—the disappointment endured, reflecting an unresolved emotional conflict. This temporal pattern offers a compelling physiological explanation for why satisfaction diminishes more profoundly compared to non-anthropomorphic counterparts.
From a theoretical standpoint, this research challenges and extends prevailing paradigms in anthropomorphism and consumer behavior studies. Historically, much scholarship has treated consumer reactions as largely uniform and conscious, assessed through self-reports or cognitive judgments. By integrating ERP data, the study reveals that consumer experiences are significantly mediated by subconscious, implicit emotional responses that unfold continuously over time. This nuanced approach redefines the understanding of consumer-product interactions, particularly highlighting the vulnerability of anthropomorphic products to emotional backlash after failure.
Moreover, these findings suggest that anthropomorphism is a double-edged sword in product marketing. While it can engender strong initial bonds and engagement through emotional resonance, it simultaneously raises the stakes for consumer disappointment if the product malfunctions. The research illuminates the paradox of designing products with humanlike traits: the very qualities that foster attachment also heighten expectations and emotional investment, which can exacerbate feelings of betrayal or loss when those expectations are violated.
For practitioners and marketers, the implications are profound and multifaceted. Companies investing in anthropomorphic design must reassess the risks and liabilities these products carry in terms of consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty. The research advocates for meticulous quality control procedures to minimize failure incidences and robust failure management protocols that acknowledge the heightened emotional stakes involved. Transparent communication regarding product capabilities and honest discussions of possible limitations can temper consumer expectations, reducing the likelihood of severe disappointment.
Furthermore, personalized and empathetic customer service emerges as a pivotal strategy when addressing product failures. Recognizing that emotional responses are both automatic and sustained provides a roadmap for timely intervention—engaging consumers early in the emotional cycle to mitigate dissatisfaction. Leveraging emotion analytics could allow companies to decode implicit consumer feelings, enabling more refined marketing and support strategies aligned with the emotional realities of anthropomorphic product experiences.
The study’s methodology also opens new avenues for research. Employing ERP to investigate consumer emotions offers a powerful platform for dissecting the temporal and physiological dimensions of satisfaction and disappointment. However, the authors note limitations, including the relatively homogenous sample of college students predominantly recruited for the EEG experiment. Expanding future studies to include diverse demographics and cultural backgrounds could enhance the generalizability of these insights, acknowledging that cultural norms may shape responses to anthropomorphism differently across societies.
Additionally, the scope of current findings is primarily immediate emotional reactions post-failure. Longitudinal research is warranted to observe how these early implicit responses evolve, potentially influencing long-term consumer attitudes such as brand loyalty, repeat purchases, or word-of-mouth advocacy. Such work would be invaluable for designing products and service recovery strategies that sustain positive consumer relationships over time, even in the face of inevitable hiccups.
Another layer of complexity emerges when considering the intricate interplay between cognitive and emotional processes in consumer satisfaction. This research underscores that while cognitive assessments are essential, they are intricately intertwined with emotional processing that often operates below conscious awareness. The ERP findings highlight that emotional signals linked to anthropomorphic product failures do not simply flicker briefly but maintain vigor throughout processing stages, influencing perception and satisfaction more profoundly than previously appreciated.
These insights dovetail with broader interdisciplinary discussions on human-machine interaction, where anthropomorphism is a pervasive phenomenon. Beyond consumer products, this research may inform the design and management of robotics, AI interfaces, and virtual agents, all arenas where humanlike traits are employed to smooth user acceptance and engagement. Understanding that anthropomorphic qualities can simultaneously enchant and disillusion highlights the need for nuanced design and management tailored to emotional dynamics.
Overall, this landmark investigation powerfully expands the horizon of how anthropomorphism affects consumer psychology. Integrating behavioral and physiological data, Lu and colleagues dismantle oversimplified assumptions, revealing a layered emotional architecture that deepens dissatisfaction when anthropomorphic products fail. Their findings invite marketers, designers, and researchers alike to reconsider the emotional architectures embedded in product interactions and to harness physiological insights for richer, more empathetic consumer engagement.
In a marketplace increasingly saturated with anthropomorphic devices—from smart speakers with personalities to medical devices with humanlike interfaces—the stakes illuminated by this research are higher than ever. Companies must navigate the delicate balance between leveraging emotional appeal and managing the amplified risks of emotional backlash. This work not only charts new scientific territory but also lays pragmatic foundations for industries to rethink how they design, communicate, and support anthropomorphic products toward enduring consumer satisfaction.
As anthropomorphism becomes an integral feature of modern consumer electronics, service robots, and digital assistants, the insights into emotional responses garnered here serve as a call to action. Failing to heed the implicit emotional processes revealed by neurophysiological evidence could incur greater costs—in brand equity, customer retention, and market reputation—than previously anticipated. Embracing a deeper understanding of emotional engagement in the face of failure offers a distinct competitive advantage, positioning companies at the forefront of consumer-centric innovation.
With its comprehensive approach marrying behavioral economics, neuroscience, and marketing strategy, this research stands as a paradigm-shifting contribution. It compels the stakeholder ecosystem—from product developers to service teams—to embrace the emotional complexity of anthropomorphism and to craft methodologies that not only captivate but also responsibly manage consumer emotions through the lifecycle of product experience.
Subject of Research: Consumer emotional processing and satisfaction in response to anthropomorphic product failures as measured through behavioral and event-related potentials (ERP).
Article Title: Impact of anthropomorphism on consumer emotions and satisfaction in product failure: behavioral and event-related potentials evidence.
Article References:
Lu, Y., Wang, J., Zhang, C. et al. Impact of anthropomorphism on consumer emotions and satisfaction in product failure: behavioral and event-related potentials evidence. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 1650 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05915-4
Image Credits: AI Generated
