This thesis takes three works of prose fiction from the Victorian and Edwardian period that contain animal characters that interact with the human world. The fantastic narratives that will be...Show moreThis thesis takes three works of prose fiction from the Victorian and Edwardian period that contain animal characters that interact with the human world. The fantastic narratives that will be explored are: Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865); Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Books (1894-5); and Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows (1908). Furthermore, it argues that anthropomorphism and zoomorphism act as core elements in these narratives to describe the complex formation of identity in Victorian Britain and to provide an opportunity covertly to criticize issues in the Victorian social class system. Furthermore, the thesis analyses these magical worlds as places where children’s imagination can play with the animal-human divide.Show less
The present study looked at whether psychedelic drug users could be more inclined to believe in conspiracy theories, and what role anthropomorphism plays in this potential relationship. For this,...Show moreThe present study looked at whether psychedelic drug users could be more inclined to believe in conspiracy theories, and what role anthropomorphism plays in this potential relationship. For this, we created an online survey and presented respondents with an open-ended question relating to their general worldview and combined different items from conspiracy belief scales that we expected to relate to psychedelic drug users. The results relating to the anthropomorphism questionnaire showed that psychedelic drug use is related to increased anthropomorphism. However, even though this study also showed that anthropomorphism predicts believing in conspiracy theories, psychedelic drug users proved not to be more likely to believe in conspiracy theories than people who have never taken psychedelic drugs before. Responses to our open-ended question showed that many psychedelic drug users tend to be increasingly open-minded and re-evaluate their attitudes or beliefs after their psychedelic experience, but showed no indication of conspiratorial thinking. In contrast to this finding, we also found that an increased frequency of psychedelic drug use did predict conspiratorial thinking. This study gives a very detailed insight into the experiences during and after the use of psychedelic drugs, thereby extending on previous studies investigating psychedelic drug use and its effects.Show less
The introduction of embodied agents, including robots and avatars, to public institutions, educational settings and health care influences modern society (Smids et al., 2019; Wisskirchen et al.,...Show moreThe introduction of embodied agents, including robots and avatars, to public institutions, educational settings and health care influences modern society (Smids et al., 2019; Wisskirchen et al., 2017) As culture affects people’s perception and thinking (Kastanakis & Voyer, 2014; Triandis & Suh, 2002), it is important to study cross-cultural differences in attitudes towards embodied agents ultimately influencing interaction and acceptance rates. Japanese advanced robotic technology (Šabanović, 2014) serves as a prime example of possible variance in attitudes between Eastern and Western countries. The present study explored the influence of cultural backgrounds on implicit and explicit attitudes towards robots as well as the effect of human-likeness on the positivity of attitudes. Native Dutch and Japanese (n=80) participants were recruited at Leiden University and using the recruitment platform CrowdWorks in Japan. We hypothesized that both cultures would show a stronger implicit preference for humans over robots and more positive implicit evaluations of humanoid compared to mechanical robots. Furthermore, we assumed to replicate a previous study (MacDorman et al., 2009) concluding that, against common belief, Japanese participants would show no significant difference in robot acceptance compared to Western participants. The present quantitative study contains the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and the Negative Attitudes Towards Robots Scale (NARS). Our results show no significant cultural differences in the observed preference of humans over robots. Humanoids are preferred over mechanical robots while there are no differences in implicit robot evaluations between cultures. Japanese participants scored significantly lower on average on the NARS, showing more positive explicit attitudes towards robots. The validity of the interpretation of the results is lowered due to an unbalanced sample in age, gender and occupational level.Show less
(Domesticated) animals play a remarkable role alongside human characters in the novel 'De geluiden van de eerste dag' (1975), by Dutch author Anton Koolhaas. In dominant anthropocentric discourses...Show more(Domesticated) animals play a remarkable role alongside human characters in the novel 'De geluiden van de eerste dag' (1975), by Dutch author Anton Koolhaas. In dominant anthropocentric discourses subjectivity (the active, desire driven perception and experience of reality) and individuality of non-human animals often get erased. However, this doesn't seem to be the case in 'De geluiden van de eerste dag'. In this thesis, I aim to formulate an answer to the question: 'Does the novel 'De geluiden van de eerste dag', by Anton Koolhaas, represent and thematize an anti-anthropocentric human-animal-relationship?' This study shows that the novel attributes agency and subjectivity to non-human animals, while (to a certain extent) respecting their species-specific susceptibilities, modes of communication and behavior. Overall the novel takes an ethical stance against mechanical animal exploitation and promotes an empathic relationship to other animals. I draw specific attention to the way aggression is connected to agency, the constitution of the subject and to the creative act of taking up space (Umwelt). I also emphasize how language and anthropomorphism (in and via literature) contribute to the constitution of subjectivity, agency and individuality of non-human and human animals.Show less
This thesis discusses the usage of animals as a means of satire in artwork of the late Edo period (1603-1868) . The research question is: What is the role of images of animals in satirical art of...Show moreThis thesis discusses the usage of animals as a means of satire in artwork of the late Edo period (1603-1868) . The research question is: What is the role of images of animals in satirical art of the late Edo period? I hypothesize that artists used animals in their prints to symbolize certain characters or events in a way that they could avoid censorship by the strict government. I also hypothesize that there is a reason for the choice to use certain specific animals and their symbolism to criticize certain events and historical characters. By examining sources that describe the artists life in Edo, texts about law (enforcement) and analyzing and interpreting works of art this thesis will establish a framework in which the reader will be able to understand the world of art in Edo Japan and the tools artists used to express certain opinions.Show less
