Are Consumers Moved by a Crying Tree Or a Smiling Forest?
研究比较了正面与负面拟人化在环境广告中的说服效果，发现负面拟人化对突发灾害更有效，正面拟人化对持续悲剧更有效，且与自然联结感是内在机制。
Rivers, lakes, oceans, volcanos, and forests are anthropomorphized by featuring them with humanlike facial characteristics or presenting a personified message. Whereas prior communications research has focused on comparisons between anthropomorphism and nonanthropomorphism, the current study proposes two types of anthropomorphism based on anthropomorphic valence: positive versus negative. Results of three experiments show that negative anthropomorphism is more persuasive for a sudden disaster but that positive anthropomorphism is more effective for an ongoing tragedy. Connectedness to nature is found as the underlying mechanism. Marketers should carefully frame the acuteness level of an environmental issue to complement the type of anthropomorphic valence in their advertisement.