Why do humans find babies cute?
Jessica Wood
Updated on January 17, 2026
It's their eyes, which are huge relative to their faces (eyeballs don't grow all that much after birth); their heads, which are too big for their bodies; their cheeks; and their tiny chins that get adults to fixate on them. Scientists say these traits activate an instinctual attention in adults.
Why are babies so cute to humans?
There are actually some traits that babies possess that automatically trigger our brains into feeling a sense of joy. According to an Austrian ethologist, the cuteness traits include a large, rounded head, big eyes and a few others. Babies. Just hearing the word makes us want to cuddle those adorable little infants.Does everyone find babies cute?
Science is telling us that not everyone finds babies cute. Even the ones who actually are cute to most people — you know the types, little cherubs, chubby cheeks, big, bright eyes. Those fat wrists that look like they're wearing bracelets.Why do humans find some baby animals cute?
In humans, as the cute response is triggered by looking at newborn bundles of joy (or the fluffy animal variety), the neurotransmitters dopamine and oxytocin are released. Associated with the 'reward' pathway in our brains, they also play a key part in social interaction and intimacy – how we bond with other humans.Why are humans attracted cute?
Cuteness on the brainWhen we encounter something cute, it ignites fast brain activity in regions such as the orbitofrontal cortex, which are linked to emotion and pleasure. It also attracts our attention in a biased way: babies have privileged access to entering conscious awareness in our brains.