<p>What you are referring to is broadly known as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3260535/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">baby schema</a>. However, does this not only apply to human babies, but actually to most mammals which need (parental)care. Certain features in the mammal trigger the release of hormones, which in turn will/can trigger caretaking behaviour in humans. The hormone release is associated with the eye and head shape. 
The reason behind this “phenomenon” is to provide and warrant for the safety and well-being of the baby (<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zc8bgk7" rel="nofollow noreferrer">evolutionary benefit</a>). Of course, this works also with the non-parents of the mammal, which provides that the animal baby’s well-being is also ensured if the parents are not available to do it. 
Also, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuteness" rel="nofollow noreferrer">cuteness</a> does not only apply to humans, but is very interspecific, hence the reason why we sometimes here about babies being raised by wolves, or orphan kitten being cared after by a dog. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/6iQZc.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/6iQZc.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-22T13:02:29.890Z
2016-11-30T06:31:08.970Z
2016-11-30T06:31:08.970Z
Ebbinghaus
<p>I understand why babies seem cute to us from an evolutionary point of view: They need our protection and love to grow, so it's beneficial for them to look good for us, or at least their parents, since that makes them more likely to be taken care of.</p>

<p>But why does this pattern repeat with baby animals? It seems that small puppies or kitten appear cute to a large number of people, so how does that make evolutionary sense? Do they remind us of our babies? Did domestic animals evolve to be "cute" in order for us to take care of them?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-21T23:58:57.583Z
Just speculation, but maybe because the features in baby humans that make use perceive them as cute are also present in other animals?  Adult animals we perceive as cute also often have baby-like features.
TheBlackCat
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-22T00:05:25.567Z
@TheBlackCat I say that in my post! "Do they remind us of our babies?".
Santropedro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-22T00:15:42.553Z
I am not sure "remind us of our babies" is really the phrase I would use.  Rather there are certain traits that humans have evolved to find appealing, and some animals happen to have those traits.  Of course with dogs and cats it is pretty much certain that humans have selectively bred them to be appealing.
TheBlackCat
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-22T00:24:36.873Z
@TheBlackCat Yes I understand how you could not agree with that sentence and the meaning I wanted to assign to it, I see. For example, "remind" sounds like they are actually reminding of our own sons and daughter, but I wanted to say more of a reminiscence. I wanted to say what you said in your first comment.
Santropedro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-22T09:58:36.283Z
First of all the pattern of cuteness are similar and so they come from common ancestors, secondly it is safe and convenient for survival to feel cuteness for baby animals because they can't harm you when baby and they won't harm you if you adopt them (maybe they could support you)
Marco Disce
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-28T03:06:23.063Z
Like Marco said above, Because of their cuteness
Ciasto piekarz
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-28T08:23:20.460Z
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Ebbinghaus
<perception><evolution>
Why baby animals seem "cute" to us?
Santropedro
# Why baby animals seem "cute" to us?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-21)

I understand why babies seem cute to us from an evolutionary point of view: They need our protection and love to grow, so it's beneficial for them to look good for us, or at least their parents, since that makes them more likely to be taken care of.

But why does this pattern repeat with baby animals? It seems that small puppies or kitten appear cute to a large number of people, so how does that make evolutionary sense? Do they remind us of our babies? Did domestic animals evolve to be "cute" in order for us to take care of them?

**Tags:** perception, evolution

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Just speculation, but maybe because the features in baby humans that make use perceive them as cute are also present in other animals?  Adult animals we perceive as cute also often have baby-like features.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I say that in my post! "Do they remind us of our babies?".  
> **username_1**: I am not sure "remind us of our babies" is really the phrase I would use.  Rather there are certain traits that humans have evolved to find appealing, and some animals happen to have those traits.  Of course with dogs and cats it is pretty much certain that humans have selectively bred them to be appealing.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Yes I understand how you could not agree with that sentence and the meaning I wanted to assign to it, I see. For example, "remind" sounds like they are actually reminding of our own sons and daughter, but I wanted to say more of a reminiscence. I wanted to say what you said in your first comment.  
> **username_2**: First of all the pattern of cuteness are similar and so they come from common ancestors, secondly it is safe and convenient for survival to feel cuteness for baby animals because they can't harm you when baby and they won't harm you if you adopt them (maybe they could support you)  
> **username_3**: Like Marco said above, Because of their cuteness  
> **username_4**: If this answer [addressed your problem](http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/help/someone-answers), please consider [accepting it](http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/5234/how-does-accepting-an-answer-work) by clicking on the check mark/tick to the left of the answer, turning it green. This marks the question as resolved to your satisfaction, and awards [reputation](http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/help/whats-reputation) both to you and the person who answered. Once you have >= 15 reputation points, you may also upvote the answer if you wish. There is no obligation to do either.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-10-22. Score: 5

What you are referring to is broadly known as [baby schema](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3260535/). However, does this not only apply to human babies, but actually to most mammals which need (parental)care. Certain features in the mammal trigger the release of hormones, which in turn will/can trigger caretaking behaviour in humans. The hormone release is associated with the eye and head shape.
The reason behind this “phenomenon” is to provide and warrant for the safety and well-being of the baby ([evolutionary benefit](http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zc8bgk7)). Of course, this works also with the non-parents of the mammal, which provides that the animal baby’s well-being is also ensured if the parents are not available to do it.
Also, the [cuteness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuteness) does not only apply to humans, but is very interspecific, hence the reason why we sometimes here about babies being raised by wolves, or orphan kitten being cared after by a dog.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/6iQZc.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/6iQZc.png)


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