Children will emotionally relate to stuffed animals as well, such that they will get upset if you mistreat their favorite teddy bear. As a child, I remember get

Children will emotionally relate to stuffed animals as well, such that they will get upset if you mistreat their favorite teddy bear. As a child, I remember getting extremely pissed off at my brother when he intentionally threw my teddy bear into a bathtub full of water, nearly ruining the bear. There's nothing particularly unique about the robot scenario. Even if a stuffed animal doesn't interact like a robot might, a child will often fill that void of personality with their own imagination, bringing the stuffed animal to life in their own mind. Children are obviously capable of intense creative projection.