Development of the Japanese version of the Individual Differences in Anthropomorphism Questionnaire

Abstract

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human-like mental states to nonhuman entities. The purpose of this study was to develop a Japanese version of the Individual Differences in Anthropomorphism Questionnaire (IDAQ-J) and to examine its factor structure, reliability, and validity through three studies. Factor analysis revealed that the IDAQ-J has three first-order factors (anthropomorphizing natural entities, technological devices, and nonhuman animals) and one second-order factor (general anthropomorphism). The IDAQ-J showed high internal consistency and moderate test-retest reliability. In terms of validity, the IDAQ-J showed moderate positive correlations with anthropomorphism of nature and machines, and predicted low negative emotions about interacting with robots and teleological beliefs. On the other hand, the IDAQ-J showed weak relationships with anthropomorphism of nonhuman animals, attitudes toward nature conservation, and fear of robots. Further research is needed to interpret the validity of the IDAQ-J.