Student Article
Why Your Brain Thinks This Puppy Is Cuter Than a Baby!
Orbitofrontal cortex (noun): The part of the brain above the eyes that processes emotions and rewards.
Evolutionary (adjective): Relating to the gradual development of organisms over time.
Selective (adjective): Involving careful choice or control, especially in breeding.
Aesthetic (noun): A set of principles concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.
What do a baby, a puppy, and Baby Yoda all have in common? They’re all working your brain’s built-in “cute detector.”
Your brain reacts to cuteness
When you see a baby, your brain doesn’t just process it like any other face — it reacts with extraordinary speed and emotion. Research led by Professor Morten Kringelbach has shown that our response to infant faces activates not only the fusiform face area (responsible for facial recognition) but also the orbitofrontal cortex, which is associated with pleasure and emotional processing. This happens within just 0.14 seconds.
Brain scans show why we find babies cute
This “cuteness response” is a powerful evolutionary tool. Human babies are born underdeveloped compared with other animals and require constant care. The brain’s fast-track response ensures that adults feel compelled to care for infants. But interestingly, we don’t reserve this reaction just for human babies.
Why puppies are sometimes cuter than babies
Thanks to selective breeding, domestic animals like dogs and cats have developed features — big eyes, round heads, soft cheeks — that mimic human infants. On a standardized cuteness scale, puppies and kittens often outrank babies. That’s why a Pomeranian might spark more oohs and aahs than a newborn baby.
It's not just about what you see
Cuteness also triggers other senses. Laughter from babies, or even the distinct smell of a newborn’s head, activates reward centers in the brain, creating feelings of joy and emotional warmth. While cultural stereotypes suggest women find babies cuter than men do, experimental research suggests otherwise. When given tasks that test cuteness-based motivation, men and women perform similarly, regardless of what they report feeling.
Cuteness in pop culture
Even fictional and pop culture characters — from teddy bears to Mickey Mouse to Baby Yoda — have been redesigned over time to appear more baby-like, enhancing their cuteness and appeal. This phenomenon is also deeply embedded in Japanese “Kawaii” culture, where cute aesthetics are celebrated.
In essence, the brain’s response to cuteness is universal, automatic, and deeply rooted in our species' survival — and sometimes, it’s just plain fun.
© Thomas Ling / Our Media
Orbitofrontal cortex (noun): The part of the brain above the eyes that processes emotions and rewards.
Evolutionary (adjective): Relating to the gradual development of organisms over time.
Selective (adjective): Involving careful choice or control, especially in breeding.
Aesthetic (noun): A set of principles concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.