Igniting Positive Emotions in Youth Living Alone through Anthropomorphic Design in Soft Drink Packaging
Keywords:
Anthropomorphic Design, Soft Drink Packaging Design, Consumer Emotions, Youth Living AloneAbstract
With rising emotional challenges among youth living alone, regulating positive emotions has become crucial. Grounded in the Three Factor Theory of Anthropomorphism and Emotional Contagion Theory, this study builds a dynamic model within a positive psychology framework to explore how anthropomorphic packaging influences positive emotions. Three experiments confirm that anthropomorphic design significantly enhances positive emotions, with empathy as a mediator. Visual cues are more effective than verbal cues. The study offers practical insights for optimising anthropomorphic strategies in emotion regulation and product design.
References
Aggarwal, P., & McGill, A. L. (2007). Is That Car Smiling at Me? Schema Congruity as a Basis for Evaluating Anthropomorphized Products. Journal of Consumer Research, 34(4), 468–479. https://doi.org/10.1086/518544
Andreychik, M. R. (2019). Feeling your joy helps me to bear feeling your pain: Examining associations between empathy for others’ positive versus negative emotions and burnout. Personality and Individual Differences, 137, 147–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.08.028
Dang, J., & Liu, L. (2023). Do lonely people seek robot companionship? A comparative examination of the Loneliness–Robot anthropomorphism link in the United States and China. Computers in Human Behavior, 141, 107637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107637
De Bondt, C., Van Kerckhove, A., & Geuens, M. (2018). Look at that body! How anthropomorphic package shapes systematically appeal to consumers. International Journal of Advertising, 37(5), 698–717. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2018.1470919
Depow, G. J., Inzlicht, M., & De Mello, V. O. (2023). A Positive Empathy Intervention to Improve Well-being on Social Media [Preprint]. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/8dz3w
Ding Z., Sun J., Wang Y., Jiang X., Liu R., Sun W., Mou Y., Wang D., & Liu M. (2021). Research on the influence of anthropomorphic design on the consumers’ express packaging recycling willingness:the moderating effect of psychological ownership. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 168, 105269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105269
Epley, N., Waytz, A., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2007). On seeing human: A three-factor theory of anthropomorphism. Psychological Review, 114(4), 864–886. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.114.4.864
Escalas, J. E., & Stern, B. B. (2003). Sympathy and Empathy: Emotional Responses to Advertising Dramas. Journal of Consumer Research, 29(4), 566–578. https://doi.org/10.1086/346251
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218
Fredrickson, B. L., & Losada, M. F. (2005). Positive Affect and the Complex Dynamics of Human Flourishing. American Psychologist, 60(7), 678–686. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.7.678
Han, N. R., Baek, T. H., Yoon, S., & Kim, Y. (2019). Is that coffee mug smiling at me? How anthropomorphism impacts the effectiveness of desirability vs. feasibility appeals in sustainability advertising. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 51, 352–361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.06.0208AN space
Huang, S., & Li, M. (2023). Consumer loneliness: A systematic review and research agenda. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1071341. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1071341
Khan, F. M., Anas, M., & Uddin, S. M. F. (2023). Anthropomorphism and consumer behaviour: A SPAR‐4‐SLR protocol compliant hybrid review. International Journal of Consumer Studies, ijcs.12985. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12985
Lambert, L., Passmore, H.-A., & Joshanloo, M. (2019). A Positive Psychology Intervention Program in a Culturally Diverse University: Boosting Happiness and Reducing Fear. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20(4), 1141–1162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9993-z
Letheren, K., Martin, B. A. S., & Jin, H. S. (2017). Effects of personification and anthropomorphic tendency on destination attitude and travel intentions. Tourism Management, 62, 65–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.03.020
McClelland, H., Evans, J. J., Nowland, R., Ferguson, E., & O’Connor, R. C. (2020). Loneliness as a predictor of suicidal ideation and behaviour: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Journal of Affective Disorders, 274, 880–896. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.004
Morelli, S. A., Lieberman, M. D., & Zaki, J. (2015). The Emerging Study of Positive Empathy. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 9(2), 57–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12157
Reher, D., & Requena, M. (2018). Living Alone in Later Life: A Global Perspective: Living Alone in Later Life. Population and Development Review, 44(3), 427–454. https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.12149
Tian, Y., Zakaria, S. F., Wang, J., & Qiu, Y. (2025). A Review of the Effects of Anthropomorphic Design on Consumer Emotions. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (MJSSH), 10(2), e003231. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v10i2.3231
Triantos, A., Plakoyiannaki, E., Outra, E., & Petridis, N. (2016). Anthropomorphic packaging: Is there life on “Mars”? European Journal of Marketing, 50(1/2), 260–275. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-12-2012-0692
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Yuyang Tian, Siti Farhana Zakaria, Jun Wang, Ye Qiu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
