The Tamagotchi effect is the development of emotional attachment with machines, robots or software agents.
It is more prominent in applications which simulate or reflect some aspects of human behavior or characteristics, especially levels of artificial intelligence and automated knowledge processing.
In this game, the user takes the role of the mother or father to raise the puppy into an adult.
If the original versions were not attended to, the pet would 'die' within half a day, causing both emotional distress and them having to reset their device.
Whilst this problem was negated in newer models by the addition of a pause feature, the "Tamagotchi effect" had already gained mainstream media attention.
This classical debate was essentialist; the new relational objects tend to enable researchers and their public to sidestep such arguments about what is inherent in the computer.
"By accepting a new category of relationship, with entities that they recognize as "sort-of-alive", or "alive in a different, but legitimate way," today's children will redefine the scope and shape of the playing field for social relations in the future.
They can range from a simple handheld pet all the way to possessing individual personalities and emotions, as real people do.
Those most likely to form emotional attachments are likely anxious-ambivalent individuals, who tend to experience high levels of distress and a need for strong relationships.
New research has found that customers often develop strong emotional ties to products and services they use.
Companies can adjust their marketing strategies to focus on these types of individuals, who stay faithful to brands that earn their trust.