In the 1930s, an Austrian ethologist conducted groundbreaking research on animals, which later earned him a Nobel Prize. His work introduced the concept of “Kindchenschema” or “baby schema.” According to this theory, infants of various mammal species share certain features, such as a large head, big eyes, and a small nose, that trigger caregiving responses in adults.

It turns out that the “aww” response to baby cuteness is just the tip of the iceberg. These endearing features in babies prompt adults to care for and protect them, an innate instinct hardwired into our biology. After all, baby animals, including humans, wouldn’t survive without adult supervision. The cuteness of babies compels us to nurture them and support their development into fully functioning adults.

In 2009, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania decided to test Lorenz’s theory experimentally. They asked 122 undergraduate students to rate the cuteness of babies. The results revealed that the cuter the babies were perceived, the more the participants felt inclined to care for them.

Human babies require more care and time to develop compared to the offspring of other species. They take months, even a year or more, to learn to walk, while many animal species’ offspring start walking within hours or days of birth. Additionally, human babies rely on their mother’s milk for up to two years, a stark contrast to the quick weaning of some animal young.