The Science of Being Cute

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Image by Shingo_No from Pixabay

Cute things are popular around the world. But why? Liz Waid and Mike Procter discuss the reasons people respond to cute things.

Voice 1

Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Liz Waid.

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And I’m Mike Procter. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1

In 2005 many people watched the documentary “March of the Penguins.” This film continues to be popular today. The film shows a real group of birds in Antarctica. It is about their journey to mate and raise their young. But these birds do not fly. The penguins walk together across the ice of Antarctica. Imagine a group of fat black and white birds walking in a line. Suddenly, one penguin loses his balance. He falls on the ice. This happens a few times in the film. Every time penguins fall down people watching the film laugh. The penguins are cute!

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Voice 2

People liked the film very much. So much, in fact, that police in England think that it may be the reason behind a crime. A man went to a zoo in London and stole a baby penguin. Authorities think that the man stole the penguin after seeing the film. They believe he wanted to give it away as a Christmas gift.

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What is it about these animals that make people spend money to see a film many times? Why would someone break the law to steal an animal? Today’s Spotlight is on the science behind what makes something cute!

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Michel Gauthier-Clerc studies penguins. He thinks that many people like penguins. But some people do not understand them. He told the New York Times newspaper,

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“People love the penguin’s way of standing straight upright. They like its colors, which look like human clothes – a tuxedo suit. And they like the way it waddles as it walks. How like a child playing dress-up in adult clothes!”

baby penguin
Image by Siggy Nowak from Pixabay 
Voice 1

These things make penguins seem cute to people. But there are good reasons for all of these things. For example, the way penguins walk. Penguins move from side to side when they walk. People call this way of walking ‘waddling.’ The penguins may seem to be out of balance. But Doctor Gauthier-Clerc says that the penguins waddle to save energy. In cold Antarctica, penguins must keep warm. The penguins’ colour also has a special purpose. It protects the penguins when they are swimming. From below, larger animals cannot see the penguin’s white underside. It looks the same as the bright sky or ice. And from above, other animals cannot see the penguin’s black back against the dark ocean floor.

Voice 2

The penguins’ colours protect them in nature. But scientists have found that some of these physical details also have an effect on humans. These scientists study visual signaling. The way an animal looks sends a message to other animals, and to people. Some of these visual signals make animals seem cute to people.

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If something is cute, it is beautiful in a special way. Cuteness is a special kind of beauty that makes people happy. Some physical characteristics that people think are cute are big round ears and arms and legs that seem weak. Scientists call these physical details “cute cues.” Cute cues are those things that make something look young, weak, harmless, or needy. Scientists say that humans react to these cues. Humans have a desire to care for things that look and act similar to babies.

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People often find babies to be very cute. An adult may have a strong desire to hold a baby and kiss her because she is so cute. Spotlight producer Joshua Leo has a baby daughter. He describes why she is so cute:

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“My baby has a very round head. Her head is still very big compared to her body. Her eyes are low on her face and they look big. She has smooth skin and soft hair. My baby daughter does not have much control over her body. She cannot yet move her arms and legs very well.”

cute baby
Image by btchurch from Pixabay 
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Scientists believe that humans are very sensitive to things that are cute. Humans react to anything that looks similar to a human baby. Humans even react to objects that may look like parts of a baby. Humans react to the soft hair on a baby bird, the movement of a round balloon, a small round car, or even a large round rock on top of a smaller rock! The more cute cues that an animal or object has, the more people may like it.

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Researchers are still learning about the science of cuteness. Recent studies show that cute images affect the brain in a special way. Cute images make the brain react in a similar way to a good meal or some drugs. Cute things make us feel happy.

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Cute images have a lot of power. A study done at the University of Michigan in the United States showed this to be true. The study tested young people’s reactions to images. It found that young people believed messages more if the message was joined by a cute picture. The researchers showed the young people two messages. One was a simple anti-smoking message. The other showed a cute animal telling them that smoking was bad. Then the researchers tested the young people’s reactions. The young people trusted the cute messages more than the simple message.

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Experts say that every human on the planet is made to react to cute images. But some cultures react to cuteness more than others. They say this is similar to the love of sugar. Everyone is able to taste sweet things. But some people and some countries eat more sweet foods than other people.

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For example, many people in the country of Japan like cute things very much. In Japan cute things are called “Kawaii.” Images of people and animals with big heads and big eyes are on many things. Children love Kawaii animals. But these cute things are not only for children. Many Japanese men and women also like Kawaii.

Kawaii kitten
Kawaii kitten; Image by Eduardo RS from Pixabay 
Voice 2

Cuteness attracts people. People want to hold and care for cute things. God made humans in a special way. He made us to naturally react to cute things. People are made to protect the helpless things in life, such as small babies. When people see something cute they want to care for it. God gave people this reaction. This way we remember to take good care of things that cannot care for themselves.

Voice 1 

The writer of this program was Joshua Leo. The producer was Rena Dam. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called, “The Science of Being Cute”.

Voice 2

You can also leave your comments on our website. Or you can email us at radio@radioenglish.net. You can also find us on Facebook – just search for spotlightradio. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

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Question:

What do you think makes something cute? What is the cutest thing you have ever seen?

Join the discussion

46 comments
  • I think the babies are cute because their souls are very purely and their looks is so cute.
    Once when l got out form College, l see a girl and her family celebrated, They celebrate her graduation, And this is cute.

  • Actually, cuteness everywhere because God had already created it for people, but some of us don’t understand it, hence if we look around us we ‘ ‘ll find cuteness everywhere, It can be just small animal with a big and funny nose or a little baby , who makes us happy and cute.

  • my english poor but i’ll try

    i think babies and animals like bird small dog and small cat
    anything cannot care for themselves..

    the cutest thing i see when baby do something or talk like adult ..

  • I remember that, as a child, I thought of my grandmother as the most beautiful person in the world: a real Befana. Now I understand that it is not possible to separate beauty from goodness.

  • God made small creatures cute to protect them from ones that biger and stronger. Although unfortunately, sometimes this doesn’t help

  • I Think that babies and baby animals are cute because they are clumsy and their eyes are wonderous,big,and shiny

  • In my opinion, things that are small, soft, or have some funny characteristics will make people feel cute. For example, we would love a kitten with its soft and smooth fur or a chatting sticker of a small animal with a big head and short legs or arms. In fact, we can find cuteness everywhere, even in a tiny flower in your garden or in a childish reaction of your family member, as long as we feel happy with life.

  • – I think one from the very important things for saying that’s “cute” is External shape

    – Small cats and birds

  • I think the Baby born smile is so cute , I am very excited about come my Baby on my life, my heart is so miss for my Bebe.

  • There are many things I believe it is cute in my life but the most cutest is my bird. It does a lot of funny things. For example, take my hair tie and fly with it. He won’t let me take it!

  • think all creatures are beautiful, but seeing these beauties depends on the experiences and teachings of people about the world around them, and therefore may have different opinions in recognizing the beauty of people

  • I think all creatures are beautiful, but seeing these beauties depends on the experiences and teachings of people about the world around them, and therefore may have different opinions in recognizing the beauty of people

  • There are a variety of factors that influence something cute, for example, some small parts of a child’s body when they are first born, or those of an animal, which is one of the reasons why they are so adorable, and I personally prefer small animals such as cats because they are very smart and entertaining for me.

  • I believe that everything is beautiful in its own way. They each have their own unique beauty. The cuteness of things is also regarded differently by different people, which is another factor to consider. You may think these hats are cute, but I don’t think they’re highly pretty. The cuteness and beauty of something can be derived from its flawless appearance, or it can be derived from its application. My school supplies are all so adorable that I purchased them solely for their aesthetic appeal. They contribute to the small pleasure that comes from learning. That’s preferable when everything is tedious and boring, isn’t it? It is important for us to make everything around us more adorable in our own eyes; fostering love will make it easier for you to finish your work.

  • Cute is an adjective that describes something or someone very lovely. All of us like everything cute because when we see it, I’m sure that we will protect or take care them. Cute is an adjective that describes something or someone very lovely. All of us like everything cute because when we see it, I’m sure that we will protect or take care them.

  • well, i love cuteness, the reason is a simple because when i see the cuteness, i fell very happy and comfortable. Especially, the small things have more cuteness.

  • hi I really love to answer your Questions ! it’s really helpful to it’s let me makes and says and practicing long sentence <3
    about my answer the cutest thing i been seen the Babies to be more specific Babies Girl they're adorable
    what made them cute they're tiny and soft
    bye bye see u in the next program's

  • i loved the babies because are cute. movement of babies, touching their bodies and playing with them are perfect for me

  • Actually, anything small is very cute as baby. I think when watch my children sleeper ,After work effort on care them because the children is needy at parents and weak or because harmless this makes children so cuteness. And watch the animals small or roses or stand under rain watch the kids play, or even I see anyone smile. Thank spotlight.

  • I think all babies is cute humans or animals because have small body and cute .The cutest thing I see is my little sister when cry and a lot of tears are falling or when running also when called mama and repeated until my mom reply and there’s a lot of cute things she did it .

  • Babies and baby animals are the cutest thing I have ever seen.
    Because they’re harmless , needy , young and they have not much control over their bodies .. they have small bodies , big eyes which are low on their faces , big round ears and arms and legs that seem like weak.

  • I believe that cuteness is something that make people react kindly to the cute thing, and there is animas, humans, and objects that could be cute .

    a baby cat would be the cutest thing I have ever seen .

  • My English isn’t perfect , but I’ll learn from my mistake .

    On my opinion , I think the cutest is smile for string people and when I see lough kinds.

  • In my opinion, there is nothing called cut or cuteness. But instead, there is something called mercy and butty. And that explains humans react when they try to hold and take care of a child or small young animal.

  • I think what makes something so cute for me is when animals are wet!! THEY JUST SEEM SO SMALL LIKE THEIR BODIES JUST GET SMALLER WHILE THEIR HEADS GET BUGGER WITH BUG EYES ITS JUST TOO CUTE ESPECIALLY WHEN THEYRE SO YOUNG. and of course the cutest thing I have ever seen was absolutely a some kind of a small pet on Pinterest lol

  • I think the most thing that makes something cute are the big eyes. wether it is a baby or an animal or a woman or even an anime character, having big eyes makes all of these cute in my opinion. the cutest thing I have ever experiensed is when my son learned some thing new in school, and when he came home he tried hardly to teach me his new knowldge thinking that I don’t know it.

  • Actually I don’t know what makes something looks nice but I feel like some things are nicer than other things maybe because they have some kind of innocence, and the cutest thing for me is the babies.

  • I think small animals or animals smaller than usual are cute, baby animals are the cutest thing I have ever seen, I really love animals<3

  • I think if something looks small, be cute like babies, they are so small and have big cheeks and little hands when they touch yours, that’s enough.
    The cutest thing is the children

  • I have many thinks makes us cute such as when we be happy or smile and fun all the times. Moreover, polite People It characterized for a good adjective like Decency, Humility all this depended on Kindness for example poor people I feel it’s a simple persons I love it because when I see them to feel comfortable and l enjoy when I speak with them. The cutest thing I have ever seen it’s when I saw a group of women finish keep of Qur’an in the mosque I became to cry for a long time and I wished I could be like them and live this wonderful moment.

  • I don’t know exactly what makes something cute.The cutest thing I have ever seen is my baby.I feel that but I cant’ explain why.

  • the cutest thing I ever see my sisters baby son, he is very cute and his small hand l love it when he hold me.
    And their are film is named dumbo he is small cute elephant you have to see the film.

  • -In my opinion, babies make me feel cutest cause they
    have big eyes, small bodies, and soft voices, they also seem carefree and innocent.

    -A dog was nursing a baby cat whose mother
    had died. This was a heartwarming and beautiful scene.

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