Humans exhibit a cognitive bias for ascribing agency to inanimate objects.
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 86/100
Substantial psychological research demonstrates that humans possess a natural cognitive bias toward anthropomorphism, leading them to ascribe agency, consciousness, and human-like traits to inanimate objects.
Evidence for · 4
Anthropomorphism as Cognitive Bias
2017 · cited by 71
Argues that intuitive anthropomorphism functions as a pervasive cognitive bias in human psychology.
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More for · 3
A Single Belief-Changing Psychedelic Experience Is Associated With Increased Attribution of Consciousness to Living and Non-living Entities
2022 · cited by 49
Demonstrates that significant experiences increase the attribution of consciousness to inanimate living and non-living entities.
Children's anthropomorphism of inanimate agents.
2024 · cited by 27
Shows that infants and young children possess broad tendencies to react to inanimate objects as sentient agents.
Children perceive illusory faces in objects as male more often than female
2023 · cited by 16
Finds that both children and adults exhibit a consistent cognitive bias to attribute human characteristics and gender to inanimate objects displaying illusory faces.