Psychology & Psychiatry

Babies don't just look cute, scientists find

What is it about the sight of an infant that makes almost everyone crack a smile? Big eyes, chubby cheeks, and a button nose? An infectious laugh, soft skin, and a captivating smell? While we have long known that babies look ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Why 'I'm so happy I could cry' makes sense

The phrase "tears of joy" never made much sense to Yale psychologist Oriana Aragon. But after conducting a series of studies of such seemingly incongruous expressions, she now understands better why people cry when they are ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Explainer: What is cute aggression?

Humans respond to cute. Show us just about any little critter with a big round head and a pair of large, blinking-in-the-headlights eyes and cooing will ensue.

Psychology & Psychiatry

'Kawaii' power sharpens worker focus, says Japanese study

(Medical Xpress)—Office workers who wonder why there are so many new framed pictures of piglets, calves, and puppies in the employee lunch room may learn their boss has read about research coming from Japan. Hiroshima University ...