Influences of animacy and association on likeability of moving plant-like artefacts

Many studies have shown that it is possible to recognise an artefact type and subsequently form an impression by observing only its shape. However, it is unclear whether the likeability of an artefact is due to its creatureliness, association with the object it imitates, or the likeability of the imitated object. Additional research is required to clarify whether the likeability of an object originates from its association with motion, perception of animacy, or the motion factor itself. Therefore, this study video-recorded the movement of plant-like artefacts to examine and determine the factors that significantly influence their likeability. This study considered the degree of animacy of the artefacts, their degree of association with the imitated plants, and the degree of likeability of the imitated plants as factors. Fifty-five participants with different sexual orientations completed an online questionnaire regarding their impressions of the artefacts in the recordings they watched. The responses were subjected to multiple regression analysis. The results showed that the degree of animacy and association with the imitated plants had the greatest influence on the likeability of the artefacts.