Cuteness: Difference between revisions

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			CUTE, VERY CUTE.
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	'OMG CUTE!' is a phrase you will often hear!
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	-->] and ]) as a function of age.]]

	'''Cuteness''' is a kind of ] commonly associated with ] and ], as well as a scientific concept and analytical model in ], first introduced by ]. It is usually characterized by (though not limited to) some combination of infant-like physical traits, especially small body size with a disproportionately large head, large eyes, a small nose, ]s, and round and softer body features. Infantile personality traits, such as playfulness, fragility, helplessness, curiosity, innocence, affectionate behavior and a need to be nurtured are also generally considered cute.
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	], a young ] at the ], has been referred to in news media as "cute".<ref> - see 2nd picture</ref>]]
	Konrad Lorenz argued in 1949 that infantile features triggered nurturing responses in ]s and that this was an ]ary adaptation which helped ensure that adults cared for their children, ultimately securing the survival of the ]. As evidence, Lorenz noted that humans react more positively to animals that resemble infants—with big eyes, big heads, shortened noses, etc.—than to animals that do not.

	That is, humans prefer animals which exhibit ]. Pedomorphosis is the retention of child-like characteristics—such as big heads or large eyes—into adulthood. Thus, pedomorphosis and cuteness may explain the popularity of ]s and ]s. The widely perceived cuteness of domesticated animals, such as dogs and cats, may be due to the fact that humans selectively breed their ]s for infant-like characteristics, including non-aggressive behavior and child-like appearance.

	Some later scientific studies have provided further evidence for Lorenz's theory. For example, it has been shown that human adults react positively to infants who are ] cute. Studies have also shown that responses to cuteness—and to facial attractiveness generally—seem to be similar across and within cultures.<ref>http://www.winchester.ac.uk/view.ashx?Item=15993</ref>

	Additionally, the phenomenon is not restricted to humans. The young of many ] and ] species share a similar set of typical physical proportions, beyond absolute body size, that distinguish them from adults of their own species. "Cute" features were also described in the recent finding of a baby '']'' ], suggesting that cuteness is an ancient and useful survival technique.<ref></ref>

	== Cultural significance ==
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	Cuteness is a major ] tool in many ]s, such as that of ], with ] such as ] or ]. It is also an important selling point in the English-speaking world, where ], ], ], and many other cultural icons and products trade on their cuteness. It can be a factor in live action productions such as movies starring ], the '']'' ], the '']'' ], and elements of '']'', as well the successful ] '']'', where the noteworthy cuteness of the ]s was cited as a major reason for the film's outstanding appeal.{{Fact\|date=June 2007}} This technique was repeated in the ] film '']''.

	] remarked on this phenomenon in an article for the journal ''Natural History'', in which he pointed out that over time ] had been drawn more and more to resemble an infant—with bigger ], bigger ]s, and so forth. Gould suggested that this change in Mickey's image was intended to increase his popularity by making him appear cuter.

	== References ==
	{{reflist}}

	== See also ==
	* ]

	== Further reading ==
	*Stephen Jay Gould. ''A Biological Homage to Mickey Mouse'', in ''The Panda's Thumb: More Reflections in Natural History''. W.W. Norton & Company, 1980. ()
	*Konrad Lorenz. ''Part and Parcel in Animal and Human Societies'', in ''Studies in animal and human behavior'', vol. 2. pp. 115-195. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard UP, 1971 (originally pub. 1950).
	*]. ''''. The New York Times, 2006-01-03.
	*]. ''The Science of Cuteness/Cutie Contest'', ] Headline News, 2006-12-17.
	*Ilya Garger. ''''. ], Mar/Apr 2007.
	*{{cite web\|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/04/02/LVGG8HV28A1.DTL\|title=Animal Rites -- Canine culture goes over the top\|last=Richmond\|first=Antonia\|date=April 2, 2006\|publisher=]\|accessdate=2008-08-29}}

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Revision as of 01:37, 24 September 2008

CUTE, VERY CUTE.