Person
Aaron Ahuvia
Guest; Professor of Marketing, University of Michigan-Dearborn; author The Things We Love
Professor of Marketing studying consumer psychology, brand love, and how consumer behaviour affects happiness. Author of The Things We Love, which examines anthropomorphic branding (McDonald's, KFC, Johnny Walker) and its effects on loyalty and liking. Explains Anthropomorphism via the talking-robot and human-face-cookie studies.
Founding appearance (Episode 115), predating this page's previously-recorded Episode 294. Explains the foundations of Anthropomorphism via the Bartneck talking-cat study and the human-face cookie study (both re-cited three years later in Episode 294), plus material on human-to-human love: its evolutionary function, why it isn't a single emotion, how falling in love expands self-concept, and why AI companionship risks functioning like relational "junk food." See Love as Evolved Motivation (Not a Single Emotion).
Discussed in
- Episode 115 — Could you fall in love with AI
- Episode 294 — 294-what-makes-a-good-logo