why do you want to squeeze cute things part 1

Watching a kitten fumbling around, it might feel as if you’ve never encountered anything so devastatingly adorable in your mortal life.

You may want to pet its soft fur and kiss its tiny head.

But you may also feel the conflicting urge to squeeze or smush the kitten, maybe even stuff it in your mouth.

However, you don’t. And you might be appalled by yourself. But this urge, which psychologists call “cute aggression,” is a surprisingly common one estimated to affect about half of all adults.

To better understand this peculiar phenomenon, let's start with what cuteness is.

In 1943, one scientist created a baby schema that identified key features associated with cuteness, like plump cheeks, large eyes, and short limbs.

These characteristics, associated with many young animals, were placed in opposition with those perceived as less cute.