Effect of Anime Character Body Language on Behaviour and Mental Wellbeing: Across Age and Gender

Hepek Milli, and Shalini Agarwal
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Central University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Pages: 153-159

 The influence of media on behavior and psychological well-being has been widely
recognized, with anime emerging as a significant cultural force among youth. This
study explores the effect of anime character body language on behavioral responses
and mental well-being across demographic categories. The primary objective was to
examine how nonverbal cues in anime influence viewer behavior and psychological
states. A sample of 180 participants aged 15–25 years from selected areas of Lucknow
was assessed using a self-developed interview schedule, a Likert scale-based
questionnaire, and the standardized Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale
(WEMWBS). Data were collected through snowball sampling and analyzed using SPSS,
employing descriptive statistics, t-tests, and Pearson’s correlation. Results indicated
a strong positive correlation between body language portrayed in anime and behavioral
responses (r = 0.95, p = 0.04), and a moderate but significant relationship with mental
well-being (r = 0.344, p = 0.000). These findings suggest that anime’s nonverbal elements
influence both external behavior and internal emotional states. The study highlights the
need for greater awareness of the psychological effects of animated content and offers
implications for media psychology, content creation, and youth development
interventions