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