Cuteness
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Cuteness is a delicate and attractive kind of beauty commonly associated with youth and innocence. Human infants and many baby animals are the definitive examples of cuteness, and this standard is the basis by which such concept of beauty is applied to others. "Cuteness" may best be defined as the informal term for a variety of perceptual traits for infant-helplessness, as these are percieved by adult animals.
Infant helplessness is recognized instinctively by many mammals, including humans; it is thought to be an evolutionary mechanism which helps infants elicit parental care therefore securing the survival of the parental genes and ultimately of the race. The many documented cases of wild animals adopting human foundlings may be explained by the infants' cuteness triggering the maternal instinct in their animal foster mother.
Cuteness is usually characterized by some combination of the following traits:
- Infant-like physical traits: small size, rounded, disproportionately large head, large, wide-set eyes, shortened nose or muzzle
- Infant-like personality traits: delicate, fragile, tame, helpless, or nurture-dependent demeanor, playfulness,
The retention of cuteness or other juvenile characteristics in adults is known as neoteny. It is hypothesized that this process has played a vital role in the initial domestication of animals such as dogs. It also explains the popularity of Giant Pandas whose appearance and popularly known behaviour makes it resemble a cuddly teddy bear creature.
In Japan cuteness is a major cultural phenomenon, known by the term kawaii.
External links
Kawaii - Cute references (http://www.in-duce.net/archives/kawaii_cute_references.php)
See also
- The cuteness of this article needs checking.
Categories: Developmental biology | Social psychology | Human appearance | Articles in need of checking
