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Exploring Cuteness - Annotated Bibliography


In recent years, cuteness has become a major globalization tool and marketing strategy. To understand why cuteness is so profitable and why people are more perceptive to messages involving cuteness, I have begun to explore what drives our attraction to cute things. I plan to continue exploring data and studies about the psychological and physical effects cuteness has on the brain. To do so, I have begun to compile a small list of theoretical academic sources found from Google Scholar and through the campus library’s online resources. I have also done a general Google search to find additional sources that contain Works Cited resources.


Arnold, Carrie. “Cuteness Inspires Aggression.” Scientific American Mind, vol. 24, no. 3, 2013, p. 18.

A short article from 2013 that summarizes the results from a study done by two Yale University psychologists exploring why the sight of something cute brings out our aggressive side such as squeezing. Dyer concludes that, “Some things are so cute that we can’t stand it” (Arnold). Although this form of aggression does not mean we want to harm the cute creature, instead the response could be protective or the brain’s way of venting extreme feelings of giddy happiness (Arnold). The article concludes that additional studies are currently being conducted to determine what drives the need to squeeze when exposed to cuteness (Arnold).

This article would be applicable to my project because it shows how exposure to cuteness has a physiological effect. However, this article is just a summary of the study without delivering in-depth concepts, practices, or data that contributed the outcome of its findings.


Aragón, Oriana R, et al. “Dimorphous Expressions of Positive Emotion.” Psychological Science, vol. 26, no. 3, 2015, pp. 259–273.

A research article from 2014 that explores how extremely positive experiences, as well as its positive appraisal, can produce intense positive emotions that often generate displays of both positive and negative expressions of emotion. Yale University psychologists develop and explore “these dimorphous expressions and tested the proposal that their function is to regulate emotions” (Aragon 259). The study also proposes that individuals who expressed emotions in this way do so as a general response, rather than it being due to a particular situation (Aragon 259). Cute stimuli, an elicitor of positive emotion, was used to demonstrate the existence of dimorphous expressions and its function as regulators of emotion (Aragon 259). Also explored in more depth is the concept discussed in the shorter article summarizing a study on aggressive expression to cute stimuli.

This study provides more data on the physiological effects that cuteness has on our behavior and brain. Further alluding to why and how cuteness is a popular motivational factor. I wanted to obtain more substantial and in-depth data concerning cute-aggression related responses experienced from being exposed to cute stimuli. This study provides data and information as well as research findings that the first article did not.


Nittono, Hiroshi, et al. “The Power of Kawaii: Viewing Cute Images Promotes a Careful Behavior and Narrows Attentional Focus.” PLoS ONE, vol. 7, no. 9, 2012, p. e46362.

A Hiroshima University student researches the effects of viewing cute images on subsequent task performance. In this 2012 study, three experiments were conducted to examine participant’s performance of fine motor dexterity tasks, non-motor visual search tasks, and a global-local letter tasks after being exposed to different types of stimuli. Results from this 2012 study shows that participants performed more carefully on focus attention tasks after viewing cute images. The cuteness-triggered positive emotion was shown to induce narrowed attentional focus that is associated with approach motivation and the tendency toward systematic processing (Nittono 1). For future applications, cute objects may be used as an emotion elicitor to induce careful behavioral tendencies in specific situations, such as driving and office work (Nittono 1).

I think this study provides good evidence of how cuteness has a physiological effect on motivation, behavior, and the brain. The results replicated and extended the result of a previous study, as discussed on page six, “viewing cute things has a positive effect on behavioral performance in tasks that require carefulness” (Nittono 6). It also shows that the tenderness elicited by cute images induces more than a positive affective feeling state, but also makes people more physically tender in their motor behavior (Nittono 6). Cuteness cues are also proposed to motivate social engagement while it is speculated that its effects span beyond the tasks that suggests social interaction (Nittono 6).


Cheok, Adrian, and David Fernando. “Kawaii/Cute Interactive Media.” Universal Access in the Information Society, vol. 11, no. 3, 2012, pp. 295–309.

A paper from 2011 that explores cuteness in interactive systems. The paper provides an in-depth look into the history concerning the role of cuteness in interactive systems (Cheok 295). Exploring studies that offer an understanding of key perceptual elements which are identified as cute (Cheok 295). The paper also approaches how cuteness is defined in contemporary popular perception (Cheok 295). Through this, an insight into the next generation of cute interactive systems that bring happiness and comfort to users of all ages and cultures is also explored (Cheok 295). It is theorized that “cute engineering” seeks to capture the essence of human feelings and emotions in order to understand ways to motivate, engage, and shape the user’s behavior in a positive way (Cheok 308).


The paper provides a good historical and social context to how cuteness became popular and has expanded into interactive systems. It also provides a good foundation for exploring why cuteness has become so popular and how a Japanese cultural movement became a globalization tool that is now accepted cross-culturally. This also begins to provide further research into how America has embraced this cultural movement and contributed to it while trying to compete with Japan in the “cute” global market.


Works Cited Below


Exploring Cuteness - Case Studies


Cuteness is a global phenomenon that is steadily gaining popularity amongst the masses. Cuteness is extending itself into the economy as well as becoming a powerful marketing tool. At first, I wanted to highlight why people are so addicted to cuteness by looking at the research conducted on the subject. After completing my research for the Annotated Bibliography, I came across research about Cuteness Aggression. It explores why we like to squeeze cute things and the how this is a result of dimorphous expression of emotions some individuals possess. I also found research on how cuteness effects the brain. While many apps, websites and videos offer wonderful examples of cuteness or explanations behind its powerfulness, none combine the research with an interactive experience to illustrate the ideas expressed. With my project, I want to provide examples of the research I have found through some interactive game activities hosted on a website for user’s to experience how the concepts relate to themselves.


At first, I originally wanted to create a series of videos that would discuss the various research conducted on the topic of cuteness that would be hosted through YouTube. The videos could be activated to play after clicking on certain interactive elements contained on a website. However, after scouring YouTube for videos containing research conducted on cuteness, I found quite a few videos that already offer a comprehensive review of recent research results.



However, with so many videos already highlighting the main points of research, making a video series as my main deliverable would not be very innovative. Nor would it be tackling the concept from a fresh perspective.


I considered making a video series that could highlight how the soft power of cuteness can be used to pass along important messages and information. Helping to illustrate how messages accompanied with cuteness can soften the harshness of a message and help viewers retain the messages being conveyed. A method that is already being used to get viewer’s attention by appealing to their inner child. However, I fear that a project that is mostly image based would not be engaging enough for users to interact with.


I also focused some of my research on cute sites that I have frequently visited over the years. These sites are sources of inspirations for my project. They provide examples of the type of cuteness I am seeking to incorporate into my project. Each site contains high doses of cuteness for the viewer to get lost within. However, these sites do not offer much interactivity past that of a normal blog.



I like how most of the sites use cute colors that fit within the findings of the Kawaii Interactive Media paper that highlights survey results about which colors are perceived as being cuter. I like the mixture of colors used for the images, characters, and background. I also like how the overall themes of most of the sites address different varieties of cuteness. Some of the sites contain a bland, generic theme; but since the cute images and videos are the main focal point, I can see why a more basic scheme was used. However, I would like the design of my site to contain a cute theme that grabs the viewer’s attention.


Pookie is a mobile application created by BA (Hons) Interactive Media Design student Chong Eva. The app provides the user an opportunity to release their anger by hitting a cute orange character named Pookie. This uses Cuteness Aggression as a method for helping users manage their anger by hitting Pookie. The app provides readings based on the user’s data to assess their anger level. This is an example of bringing theory into practice that I would like to emulate. I like how the app incorporates the concept of Cuteness Aggression as an anger management solution tool for users. However, I think that having the deliverable as an app might pose some problem for users with limited space on their phone or those not interested in apps. http://toa.edu.my/m/showcase-degree-interactive-media-design-artwork.php?page=showcase&id=21


I would like my project to incorporate the inspirational elements of cuteness contained in the sites listed above with interactive activities that illustrate some of the ideas I found in the research phase of this project. I would like to have different pages that contain different activities for the user to interact with, illustrating the theoretical information for that activity. Below is a list of interactive sites that contain interesting user activity that I am considering emulating: http://www.farfotsel.com/list


A site that tells the story of Farfotsel through paint, pencil, and creative coding. Each page in the list contains a different type of creative coding that adds to the interactivity the user experiences. I personally do not find all of the characters contained aesthetically pleasing in a cute way, but find the different interactivity really interesting. I particularly like the pages that have the images interact with the mouse’s position on the screen. https://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/random-websites-you-should-visit-when-you-need-a-break?utm_term=.yr92mKL3a#.ncoRozMKd

A list of 35 sites that use creative coding to interact with users in various ways. Whether it is vigorously shaking a worm to interacting with bouncing kittens, I found a variety of sites that gives me a variety of ideas about how to interact with users. Many of the sites lack in providing theoretical information about the activity that the users are engaging in. This might assist with making my point through interactivity stronger by providing strong theoretical backing behind the activities I provide.


Due to an abundance of videos already on YouTube containing information about cuteness, I felt that a video deliverable would be further saturating an already saturated market. Many cuteness blogs already exist that explore many different elements of cuteness. After further researching interactive websites that provide game like activity, I realized that an interactive game site could illustrate research results in a fun, engaging manner. I plan to begin designing several different interactive webpages that highlight different research results. I want each page to contain different activities that help illustrate the various effects cuteness has on the viewer. The idea pertaining to using cuteness to aid in the neutral reception towards and retention of messages conveyed is an excellent Plan B, in case I am unable to code the interactive elements. Whether it’s illustrating the research findings through an interactive website or a hard message mixed with cuteness media campaign, the effects that cuteness has on the viewer can be illustrated within this project. This can help bring theoretical insight into the subject of cuteness.



Works Cited for Exploring Cuteness - Annotated Bibliography