Summary: This study defines and investigates “romantic anthropomorphism”—the tendency to ascribe human, romantic qualities to non-human agents—and explores how virtual agents can satisfy human romantic needs.
Source: Hiroshima University
An international team of researchers presents the concept of romantic anthropomorphism, showing how people can experience romance with anthropomorphized virtual agents. Their work advances understanding of virtual romance by linking anthropomorphism to perceived relationship authenticity, emotional outcomes, and the desire to pursue a relationship with an agent in the real world.
Previous anthropomorphism research has largely focused on non-romantic, platonic interactions with objects and agents. This research is the first systematic examination of romantic anthropomorphism, moving the field beyond general personification to investigate how romantic contexts shape the way people relate to virtual partners.
The research was published in the British Journal of Social Psychology on August 1, 2022.
“Most work on romantic relationships has concentrated on human-to-human interactions, and prior studies of anthropomorphism have mainly addressed platonic settings. Our study bridges these areas by introducing romantic anthropomorphism as a concept and testing its consequences,” said Mayu Koike, assistant professor in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Hiroshima University.
Virtual agents—software programs such as chatbots or interactive characters—are increasingly prominent in daily life. While they commonly automate tasks that were once performed by humans, their growing sophistication allows them to serve other roles, including social and emotional ones. One emerging domain is romantic interaction: interactive characters in romantic video games and other virtual environments now enable millions of users to pursue and nurture simulated romantic relationships.
Romantic needs—to love and be loved—are central to human experience. Historically these needs were fulfilled by other people, but advances in interactive software mean that virtual agents can now evoke emotional responses similar to those surrounding human partners. Yet until now, researchers had not systematically examined how and when virtual agents can fulfill romantic desires.
To investigate this, the research team conducted three controlled laboratory studies using romantic video games as ecologically valid stimuli. Across studies they tested whether romantic anthropomorphism predicts (1) the perceived authenticity of the relationship with the virtual agent, (2) the desire to pursue a real-world relationship with that agent, (3) positive mood outcomes, and (4) whether these virtual experiences translate into observable real-world behavior.
Study 1A demonstrated that participants who anthropomorphized a virtual agent—attributing human-like romantic qualities to the character—were more likely to report that their relationship with the agent felt authentic. That sense of authenticity mediated increases in positive affect and an elevated desire for a real-world relationship with the agent.
Study 1B replicated these findings with a larger sample and a different romantic video game, strengthening confidence in the pattern. Study 2 again reproduced the prior results regarding perceived authenticity and emotional outcomes, but it showed that playing romantic video games did not reliably predict participants’ behavior during a later, real-world interaction with a human research actor.
Across all studies the core pathway was consistent: anthropomorphism itself does not directly cause emotional or behavioral outcomes. Instead, anthropomorphism fosters a feeling of relationship authenticity, and this perceived authenticity is what predicts positive mood and the desire to pursue a relationship with the agent. In short, when people feel their connection with an agent is genuine, they are more likely to experience meaningful romantic responses.
“Anthropomorphism appears to create the sense that a relationship is authentic. That perceived authenticity is what contributes to forming a stronger bond with virtual agents,” Koike explained.
The research highlights a novel route by which people find connection in the modern world and offers new insights for anthropomorphism research, virtual interaction studies, and relationship science. It suggests that as virtual agents become more life-like and relationally competent, they can evoke authentic romantic responses under certain conditions.
Looking forward, the authors recommend experimental work that systematically varies agent features likely to elicit anthropomorphism and studies that probe how personality traits or other individual differences moderate romantic anthropomorphism. These directions will clarify for whom and under what conditions virtual agents can serve as meaningful romantic partners.
The research team includes Mayu Koike (Hiroshima University), Steve Loughnan, and Sarah C.E. Stanton (University of Edinburgh). The work was funded by a grant from the Leverhulme Trust.
About this research on psychology and anthropomorphic relationships
Author: Norifumi Miyokawa
Source: Hiroshima University
Contact: Norifumi Miyokawa – Hiroshima University
Image: The image is in the public domain
Original Research: Closed access. “Virtually in love: The role of anthropomorphism in virtual romantic relationships” by Mayu Koike et al., British Journal of Social Psychology (published August 1, 2022).
Abstract
Virtually in love: The role of anthropomorphism in virtual romantic relationships
Romantic relationships are a fundamental human drive, and modern technology enables those relationships to be pursued with virtual agents. This paper introduces the concept of romantic anthropomorphism—the attribution of human, romantic qualities to non-human agents—and tests how it shapes relationship authenticity, desire for a relationship with the agent, mood, and subsequent interpersonal behavior. Across three laboratory studies using romantic video games, romantic anthropomorphism predicted perceived relationship authenticity, which in turn predicted greater positive affect and an increased desire for a real-world relationship with the agent. However, these virtual experiences did not reliably predict later real-world behavior in an interaction with a human confederate. These findings highlight the central role of perceived authenticity in meaningful virtual romantic experiences and point to future work varying agent characteristics and examining individual differences that influence romantic anthropomorphism.