Using the Frith-Happé animations to compare attributions of mental qualities in nonhuman agents

ABSTRACT

To understand perceptions of technology, researchers can compare them to perceptions of other nonhumans. In this study, a Theory of Mind assessment (the Frith-Happé animations) was used to assess perceptions of videos of moving triangles. Participants rated the triangles’ lifelikeness, intelligence, intention, emotion, and cognition. The triangles were labelled as humans, robots, dogs, or shapes. Results replicated patterns commonly found when using these animations and showed differences between agent labels. Triangles with a “humans” label had higher attributions of mental qualities than those with a “shapes” label. The “humans” label also had higher attributions of lifelikeness and emotion than the “robots” and “dogs” but were not significantly different from these labels for intention and cognition. These results promote the reliability and validity of the Frith-Happé animations but emphasise the importance of considering how the task is described and labelled to participants. Additional implications for the human-technology relationship are discussed.