ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R
主办:中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

Advances in Psychological Science ›› 2014, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (5): 760-771.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1042.2014.00760

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Babyface Effect: Babyface Preference and Overgeneralization

DOU Donghui;LIU Xiaocen;ZHANG Yujie   

  1. (1 Department of Psychology at School of Social Development, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081, China) (2 Institute of Economic Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081, China) (3 Collge of Education, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China)
  • Received:2013-09-11 Online:2014-05-15 Published:2014-05-15
  • Contact: DOU Donghui

Abstract:

The babyface effect is a prevalent and evolutionary social-cognitive phenomenon induced by the babyface feature or baby scheme. This effect involves not only a preference to babies’ faces including attention capture and impulsion of caregiving and feeding but also an overgeneralization effect to adults, animals and non-living things with similar babyface features. In this way any stimuli presenting baby-like stereotype can induce corresponding attitude and behaviors. Recent studies on the manifestation, mechanism and influencing factors of the babyface effect suggest that modern people’s response to baby scheme is an innate releasing mechanism and provide evidences to evolutionary psychological theories such as parental investment and sexual selection. Future research should focus more on the cultural difference and the practical application of this effect.

Key words: babyface effect, baby scheme, babyface preference, babyface overgeneralization effect