Baby schema in human and animal faces induces cuteness perception and gaze allocation in children

Abstract

The baby schema concept was originally proposed as a set of infantile traits with high appeal for humans, subsequently shown to elicit caretaking behavior and to affect cuteness perception and attentional processes. However, it is unclear whether the response to the baby schema may be extended to the human-animal bond context. Moreover, questions remain as to whether the cute response is constant and persistent or whether it changes with development. In the present study we parametrically manipulated the baby schema in images of humans, dogs, and cats. We analyzed responses of 3-6 year-old children, using both explicit (i.e., cuteness ratings) and implicit (i.e., eye gaze patterns) measures. By means of eye-tracking, we assessed children's preferential attention to images varying only for the degree of baby schema and explored participants' fixation patterns during a cuteness task. For comparative purposes, cuteness ratings were also obtained in a sample of adults. Overall our results show that the response to an infantile facial configuration emerges early during development. In children, the baby schema affects both cuteness perception and gaze allocation to infantile stimuli and to specific facial features, an effect not simply limited to human faces. In line with previous research, results confirm human positive appraisal toward animals and inform both educational and therapeutic interventions involving pets, helping to minimize risk factors (e.g., dog bites).

Effectiveness of a Standardized Equine-Assisted Therapy Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…talking to horses or about horses) as well as the impact of animal characteristics (both behavioral and morphological, e.g. Borgi and Cirulli 2015;Borgi et al 2014) on children emotional response and willingness to engage in social interaction. A very promising avenue of investigation is represented by the potential use of therapeutic riding to target sensory/motor difficulties, which are considered a hallmark of children with ASD.…”

Adults with siblings like children’s faces more than those without

“…This effect even extends to young children at the age of 3–6 years old. For example, children’s viewing time on adult faces with high baby schema features was significantly longer than those with low features (Borgi, Cogliati-Dezza, Brelsford, Meints, & Cirulli, 2014). However, all the existing studies have focused on the innate releasing mechanism of the baby schema itself, including its decrease with facial age (Luo, et al, 2011; Volk, Lukjanczuk, & Quinsey, 2007); but no study to date has examined how experience might modulate the manifestation of the mechanisms.…”

On Cuteness: Unlocking the Parental Brain and Beyond

“…The impact of cuteness transcends in-group versus out-group distinctions and cultural familiarity [23]. Infants and children also prefer to look at cuter infant faces [24, 25]. Cuteness’ power to capture attention may diminish as a child develops—both adults and children pay more attention to infant's faces than older children's faces [26], suggesting that the power of cuteness in young children's faces fades as children mature.…”