Physical Attractiveness, Defining Characteristics

Neonate Qualities

Neonate qualities are the babyface characteristics displayed by infants and young children that contribute to perceptions of cuteness. The young of many mammalian species differ in consistent ways from the adults of that species, such as having larger eyes, more rounded forehead, smaller muzzle, and softer, lighter hair. Such features likely evolved through natural selection, when newborn offspring with those features were seen as cuter and given better care by adults. Consequently, they were more likely to survive and reproduce than newborns with other features.

Through random variation, some adults retained cute babyface qualities as they grew up. Those features may have been adaptive by eliciting a portion of the indulgence and care that is usually given to children. Conversely, it may have been adaptive for perceivers to be attuned to cute features because young adulthood is the period of greatest health and fertility. But perceivers can be deceived by adults who retain the overt appearance of youth, but lack the other gifts of youthfulness and emerging adulthood.

Because youthfulness is more closely linked to fertility than virility, neotenous features tend to contribute more to the physical attractiveness of females than males. However, both genders are rated more positively when they possess the following cute features: larger than average eyes, smaller than average nose, and smooth, clear skin. Females also are seen as more attractive if they have a small chin and no dark facial hair on their lips or jaw. Other babyish features, such as a round head, bulging cheeks, truncated torso, and short stature, are not attractive in adults and are generally superseded by sexually mature qualities.

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