Prototype Facial Response to Cute Stimuli
Expression and Recognition
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21453786 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Makenzie J O’Neil (0009-0008-6571-836X, Saint Mary's College of California, corresponding author), Alexander F Danvers (Sierra Tucson, AZ, USA), Alexander Danvers (0000-0002-7307-9384, Sierra Tucson, AZ, USA), Jing Iris Hu (0000-0002-2566-2022, Concordia University), Michelle N Shiota (0000-0002-9762-915X, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 247-263 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0146-1672 • E-ISSN: 1552-7433 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/01461672241273253 |
| PMID | 39282978 |
| OpenAlex | W4402554699 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 49 |
Cute, kindchenschema stimuli can evoke a suite of cognitive, physiological, and behavioral tendencies thought to promote caregiving. This research investigated facial expression elements associated with this response to cuteness and assessed the recognizability of an expression combining these elements. In Studies 1 and 2, participants at a community outreach event (Study 1, n = 19) and undergraduate students (Study 2, n = 103) showed spontaneous facial displays while watching videos/photos of baby humans and animals. These were Facial Action Coding System (FACS)-coded, revealing characteristic and statistically distinctive action unit elements of facial expression responses to cuteness. In six follow-up online studies (combined N = 962), including replications with Syrian refugees ( n = 103) and Chinese samples ( n = 222), a “cuteness prototype” expression combining all elements identified across Studies 1 and 2 (i.e., oblique brows, chin raise, lip tightening, and Duchenne smile) was commonly interpreted as a response to cuteness. These findings add to a growing literature about caregiving-focused motivational states and associated emotion/affect
Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Emotional expression · Expression (computer science) · Facial Action Coding System · Facial expression · Perception · Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies · Communication · Computer Science · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Neuroscience · Psychology · Social Psychology
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| Highly cited | No |
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