Why do you want to squeeze cute things? - Joshua Paul Dale

Explore the psychology of the phenomenon known as cute aggression, which is the urge to squeeze, bite or pinch something cute.
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Watching a kitten fumbling around, it might feel as if you’ve never encountered anything so devastatingly adorable in your mortal life. You may want to pet its soft fur and kiss its tiny head. But you may also feel the conflicting urge… to squeeze or smush the kitten, maybe even stuff it in your mouth. What is this peculiar phenomenon? Joshua Paul Dale explores the urge known as cute aggression.
Lesson by Joshua Paul Dale, directed by Oksana Kurmaz.
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View full lesson: ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-you...
Dig deeper with additional resources: ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-you...
Animator's website: kurmaz.me
Educator’s website: www.cutestudies.org
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[@Owl90]

Can confirm cuteness overload is a real thing.

[@stinkystinky4374]

Itzy stans would know

[@Blue_Pumpkin]

Fitting name

[@grapeshott]

not girlfriends

[@brixenlang3207]

It reminds me of her…

[@user-ss7pv3jf8r]

I think that kind of coping mechanism to counter cuteness overload is the origin of sadism.

[@orukusaki5271]

As a great philosopher once said " *SQUISH THAT CAT* "

[@TristanSamuel]

"All you need to know is to Squish That Cat!"

[@orukusaki5271]

@@TristanSamuel i agree with this gentleman right here

[@breadlorde1095]

yes

[@Student-gi4lb]

I just squish my cat and my cat was growling, hahahah

[@iDressLondon]

LOOOOL

[@hkayakh]

Well they look cute that’s why

[@HarryXHb]

lol

[@-1f]

But then why feel the urge to squeeze it if it looks cute?

[@jem3588]

🗿

[@upbeathammad]

@@-1f idk thems the breaks

[@Fear_Therapy]

I agree! Haha

[@kannot1]

I will never get over someone saying “squirrel's are just rats with pretty privilege” 😂😂😂

[@gabs1224]

rats are cuter, imo

[@doodoo2065]

Rats are cute too imo, its just that people for some reason think of wild rats whenever they think about them¿ Yet it seems like they dont do that with any other animal

[@stha03]

Damn🤣🤣

[@amaraliz2290]

Hahahahahahah theyre right tho

[@philadelphiaelisa602]

@@carrey664butterflies doesn’t infested your home or carried diseases

[@soltersortna]

I’ve struggled with post partum depression and having intrusive thoughts of harming my baby. I’ve come to terms with it thanks to realizing that it will never lead to actual harm. The best way I’ve heard it explained is that the brain is thinking of worst case scenarios so you can avoid those. When you think about throwing a baby down the stairs, you take a step away from the stairs. Your brain just doesn’t care how bad the thoughts make you feel. When I stopped thinking my brain was terrible for thinking those things and started thinking it was trying to protect us, it helped me a lot! So I’m glad this video explains yet another terrible thing our brain does, and yet we shouldn’t feel terrible about.

[@roguestar8]

I'm so happy for you. Mental health recovery is often a long hard road and you're such a trooper.

[@DiscoMouse]

I frequently feel the same way about my baby, I think it’s normal although I’m hesitant to admit it to anyone.

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

You should not hesitate or be too embarrassed to seek professional help if needed though. I have a relative who had a severe case of post partum depression and it didn't end well.

[@xjoy1163]

I just wish it wasnt so violent. Like BABY THROW DOWN STAIRS like thats so rude. Why cant our brain go hey stair danger back up.

[@WhatIsSanity]

What's far more messed up than post partum depression is the stigma surrounding it and the treatment of women experiencing it that follows. All health conditions are easier to live with when people are given some acceptance and space to understand it's ok to not be ok. Then the healing begins.

[@oliviadavis3638]

When my sister was born, I thought she was just the darn cutest baby on the planet. I always wanted to just squeeze her as hard as I could, which was funny because I don't normally want to squeeze cute things. She was an adorable baby, to be fair.

[@ShatabdaRoy115]

is she now still?

[@oliviadavis3638]

@@ShatabdaRoy115 She's older now but just as gorgeous 😊

[@ShatabdaRoy115]

@@oliviadavis3638 does she thinks the same way about you?

[@ShatabdaRoy115]

@@oliviadavis3638 well appearntly from her prespective you were always kinda there big grown from the start.

[@oliviadavis3638]

@@ShatabdaRoy115 lol hopefully

[@ApLzTheArtist]

“It’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!” Great choice 😂

[@danamaderas3382]

“Look at that fluffy unicorn! 🦄”

[@happytriplee2831]

Dude. The animation is cute overload. I nearly bit my phone in half. I love it!

[@Blue_Pumpkin]

😂

[@ziphy_6471]

the animations are cute at all.

[@skylinefx049]

@Mariana D'Amelio Oksana Kurmaz is the animator, you can find the link in the description

[@sortakalpuyu]

@@skylinefx049 thank you for helping people willingly

[@Ladie_Vee]

Lol my fave was the finger double clicking on the cute animal vids

[@l.n.3372]

For whatever reason, I find baby animals cuter than human babies. Puppies, kittens, etc. But not just mammals either; baby birds and reptiles are cute too.

[@Silvervine_Stick]

Are you sure baby pigeons are cute?

[@fenrirgg]

Most human babies are only cute to their relatives. I find most human babies not related to me as horrible and hideous, maybe it is another instinct that prevent us from stealing another people's babies? Or am I the only one that think this??

[@ES11777]

@@Silvervine_Stick Yes

[@idakristinedemesa5234]

Some or many people find animals cuter. It’s just that majority assume that everybody will choose a human baby over a pet.

[@nascentoxygenhere]

tastier too

[@M12GProductions]

I've felt cute aggression many a time.

[@MatheusOliveira-dk9zq]

I love how the misspelling made this sentence cuter

[@Periwinkleaccount]

@@MatheusOliveira-dk9zq i think it’s just unusual but correct grammar.

[@Owl90]

@@MatheusOliveira-dk9zq There is no misspelling there.

[@Blue_Pumpkin]

I still gently bite my mom's arms🥰

[@Garfield_Minecraft]

I like to bite my dog's ear

[@aidenx5]

My sister came up with a theory that cute aggression evolved out of the need to protect cute things (our babies) from situational predators.

[@rainyday9002]

i like that theory! :)

[@sushantmanandhar1387]

Hypothesis* she came up with a hypothesis

[@hughcaldwell1034]

@@sushantmanandhar1387 The term "theory" is perfectly acceptable in this non-scientific context. Just as it's perfectly acceptable to refer to a collection of people as a group rather than a set, even though the latter would be more appropriate to a mathematician.

[@Owl90]

Honestly, I don't think that's too far off the mark. As valid a theory as any I have ever heard about this topic.

[@arisoda]

Isn't that literally what they said in the video...?

[@lesterabastillas9291]

i dont care if i die of rabies but its my lifes mission to make all dogs and cats know theyre loved, even by a complete stranger

[@zerstorer1269]

What's the point for that?

[@HaveRandomQuestions]

are you sure about this? lol. do you know what rabies do to your brain?

[@zerstorer1269]

@@HaveRandomQuestions He said doesn't care in any case haha, so he want to aim at that goal no matter what

[@noahtv6683]

a noble way two die...

[@Praestantia]

Ever considered that this stresses out certain dogs and cats?

[@maytatlongpangalan9367]

There is actually a single term for cute aggression - it's "gigil" in Tagalog (Philippine language)! This is a cute video explaining the science behind it, thank you TED-Ed! 🥰

[@diceisalive]

i was checking if someone else pointed this out! haha it’s so useful i’m glad it’s in our language

[@maytatlongpangalan9367]

@@diceisalive yes!! definitely a term i wish non-filipinos would remember hahaha

[@wos_liwet]

Other languages have words for it too? :000 in Indonesian and Malay we call cute agression _gemas_ or _gemes_

[@maytatlongpangalan9367]

@@wos_liwet that's so interesting!! is the "g" hard like "game" or soft like "gel"? gigil is said with both hard g's! :')

[@thecorlorlesspig1993]

Omg Filipino:0

[@goldfish2730]

I remember seeing a litter of kittens and they handed me one to hold. If you know anything about barely able to walk kittens they are TINY. It was this ball of warmth and fuzz in my hands, and all of a sudden i could feel its heartbeat on my palm. Its tiny lil baby kitty heart pounding away in my hands. "if i squish this kitten too hard it would literally die" i got too scared of the intrusive thought and handed the kitten back to the friends who'd owned them. Cute aggression is almost more overwhelming than the cuteness itself

[@deontaeavila3514]

Why crush it when you can eat it?

[@brett4264]

You love the cute thing so much, you want to merge with it. Squeezing feels like it makes merging possible,

[@gypsylee333]

I think you got the nail on the head, both eating and squishing have the same property of merging together.

[@Apersonl0l]

*consume them as to extract and absorb their cuteness*

[@Blue_Pumpkin]

@@Apersonl0l 🤣

[@Owl90]

Exactly this!

[@Summer-oz6mg]

yes this is what I feel when I tightly hi or squeeze a cute animal or baby I just want to merge with it and keep it deep in my soul I know that's weird but yeah it is what it is

[@Pibola64]

2:10 Has anyone ever made a dystopian-esque fiction, where instead of grey and drab surroundings that are synonymous with oppression, the world was full of cuteness and colourful things as a means of controlling the people? Considering how just in the previous scene it was explained how cute things make us prefer those things or actions, I can see some writing potential in the concept.

[@FireCrauter]

underrated comment

[@NoNameAtAll2]

people usually say Brave New World is such opposite of 1984

[@osheridan]

I mean I hear about horror via sensory overload, but that sounds really interesting!

[@mistyminnie5922]

japan?

[@Owl90]

That's just gatcha games.

[@chill6455]

I thought that cute aggression was also rooted in the feeling that you reallllllly don't want any harm coming to whatever thing is cute. So then your body enters an irrational mindset where you rather not see any harm come to it so much to the point that YOU'd rather be the one that does it and is in control.

[@Psychol-Snooper]

O.o

[@Blue_Pumpkin]

Wow! That kind of makes sense actually. Because I'll know that I won't harm that cute thing no matter what.

[@choycejoyce4699]

I always thought it was my lizard brain telling me to put the babies in my mouth, like a mama crocodile. I have a hard time associating my cute aggression with protectiveness in my mind, but I guess putting babies in my mouth is a protective act.

[@dangerouscolors]

fun fact: we have a word for cute aggression in tagalog. its called "gigil"! i believe it was even added to the oxford english dictionary as a loanword at some point

[@Pfyzer]

In indonesian, we call it. Gemes

[@JoannBasilio]

yes!! I just commented this too haha

[@retnoartanti1976]

ITS SO CUTE I AM GONNA DIE!!!!!

[@ainkmazlin]

it's "geram" in malaysian:D

[@kikithepupper6774]

this video definitely made me feel gigil

[@LaMerleNoir216]

The whole thing about people using recycling bins more if they have something cute on them immediately made me realize that’s why Japan is perceived as being so nice and such a great place to live. Everything there is cute basically

[@_sleigh3832]

Same thoughts! The world needs more cuteness in it then

[@looppp]

Instantly thought of this too

[@Msing8]

In Indonesian, we have this word 'gemas' which describes this mushy feelings when you see something so cute, mostly you want to squeeze or pinch it 🥰

[@Thebreakdownshow1]

Well this video on science of cuteness is cute. It’s funny how half of us just want to squeeze the kitten.

[@JiannaSandoval]

My grandma always said that if babies weren't so darn cute, there'd be no humans from the chaos they bring.

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

I have two kids and I agree completely.

[@priscillajimenez27]

2:00 explains why Japan has cuteness everywhere

[@sandiproy....4304]

Explained cutely 😘

[@ShatabdaRoy115]

sigma detected.

[@sandiproy....4304]

@@ShatabdaRoy115 😂 thanks

[@ShatabdaRoy115]

@@sandiproy....4304 I am also Shatabda Roy. Roy detected Opinion Accepted.

[@cedricquilal-lan1616]

@@ShatabdaRoy115 hoi,why are you here?

[@ShatabdaRoy115]

@@cedricquilal-lan1616 I've been watching ted ed for 3 years now. watched every episode.

[@gypsylee333]

Omg I loved this video! I definitely have always had that where I am like "it's so cute I want to crush it or just eat it," even though I'm vegetarian lol.

[@mickey5779]

It's called a love bite lol 💖

[@briicksyy]

As a vegetarian with the cutest dog on earth, I agree. Everytime I see her I just wanna *ARGHRRGEHNOMNOMNOM*

[@boobyqueen]

0:10 it’s so cute,,,,,, I’m moved to tears by this wondrous creature

[@daniellem.gibson4658]

I have literally felt like something was so cute I couldn’t handle it lol! I love that quote at the beginning “it’s so fluffy I’m gonna die!” 😂😂

[@karlberon5433]

In the Philippines the desire to cuddle or hug tightly something or someone you find cute or attracted to is called "Gigil". If your grandma pinch your cheek gently while making happy face that's "Gigil"

[@humanaku9135]

4:16 was kinda sad!

[@anadd6195]

People may even cry from cuteness and that's so cute too

[@alm5992]

I find almost every animal cute, regardless of age. Animal videos give me cuteness overload

[@iamatrashcan1695]

I love this narrator , such a great voice, so calming and relaxing

[@mikehoffler4097]

All I can think about is the old cartoons, " I will pet, and love him, and squeeze him, and hug him." "I used to have a little friend, but I squeezed him too hard." In their simplified fashion, the cartoons of my youth explained this scientific concept to me.

[@jemmerllast8492]

"and call him George!"

[@vecarter569]

@@marianafrusciante It was Elmyra on Tiny Toons. There are videos on KZbin of her times having cuteness aggression. ❤

[@QuirkyGirlCorner]

As a person with ADHD, I can verify that the emotional overload with super cute things is REAL!

[@Ominoussmile]

I have adhd too! And I also can confirm

[@dunzek943]

I don't like how I'm in this picture considering that I love cute things and I also have ADHD 😂 (I take meds almost everyday)

[@blkgryphon]

We comfort infants by holding them and hugging them. We also get a release of "feel good" hormones when we hug or are hugged. Thus, I believe these things are where the innate desire many people feel to squeeze (hug) cute things comes from.

[@ydid687]

yes finally ted-ed is asking the big questions more important than dark matter, the origin and meaning of life, teleportation and time travel why so damn fluffy

[@Cheshire_Cat_]

I have fallen prey to this many a time. In fact, I have gently bitten my cat's heads several times. They don't exactly like it, but I do it anyway because they are little squishes and I love them.

[@jackojb1]

Many of us may have learned to associate squeezing with cuteness when we interacted with stuffed animals as little kids.

[@Owl90]

I think you're inverting the order of things here.

[@RonLarhz]

I think it made sense. The sense of security, hugging n squeezing your plush...

[@MrGamerCaptain]

I think it helps to remember that emotions are mostly very connected instead of being a see-saw. hyper emotions/physical responses lead to other hyper emotions/physical responses.

[@tunsgene]

True, I was also thinking that the cute agression gets some unneeded magnitude because it falls into an ironic process pattern (aka the more you try to get rid of this urge, the more important it becomes)

[@soltersortna]

Harmful thoughts do not always lead to harmful actions. That is a very uninformed way to look at a very traumatic mental state people can have, like post partum depression. Please consider your words carefully next time!

[@zhankazest]

@@soltersortna i dont even really understand how they said that

[@dekumdoriya]

Very true!

[@SouravTechLabs]

I also burst into laughter after seeing cute things along with the desire to bite them, annoy them, and squish them!

[@Lylaris_or_Garuk]

I just have to OVERWHELMING desire to protect, to keep safe. My mind instantly goes: “now this is something, I can’t let ANYTHING harm it, never” So that’s why I want to hold and squish honestly, just to keep said cute thing safe

[@ForAnAngel]

In Japan their obsession with cute things is even more extreme. Kawaii is a way of life over there.

[@kouchan1233]

Yes, they even have the public transport vehicles decorated with Doraemon and other cute things.

[@rachelcookie321]

@@kouchan1233 when I was in Japan I went on a hello kitty themed bullet train. Everything in the train was hello kitty

[@charjohn2468]

@@rachelcookie321did it smell like those hello kitty stickers?

[@rachelcookie321]

@@charjohn2468 hello kitty stickers? I don’t know what you are talking about but it just smelt like a regular train. I didn’t notice any scent.

[@charjohn2468]

@@rachelcookie321 oh I was talking about how hello kitty stickers that o got from Macdonalds smelted like strawberries.

[@dikshawpuzzle]

Absolutely loved the use of Agnes' iconic line in the intro😁🥰

[@philosophyman]

Tbh i always thought the urge to squeeze was natures way of motivating us to make sure we pick babies up and hold them vs letting them lie on the ground to get eaten (nurture hypothesis)

[@rayafoxr3]

Omg that might actually be why, I’ve never heard that before

[@philosophyman]

@@rayafoxr3 Thanks I made it up I think

[@plat6164]

Okay, but can we talk about that soundtrack??? The shift at 5:10 made my eyes tear for some reason

[@minamina6112]

4:56 Wtf is this attack on titan animation 💀💀💀

[@ahmadnawaz6612]

WOW! That was cute! (Bites the phone)

[@danamaderas3382]

The  Store employees: 😳

[@rosettesionne9139]

This is a thing I noticed. I saw parents physically and emotionally harming their kids but they always said that they do it out of love so that they will teach their baby how dangerous the world is. My theory was that parents who harmed their kids that way wanted to protect them so hard that it created a contrast in their brain in a way they actually harmed them. I saw a case in crime investigation a mother trapped her child in the basement because she was afraid her child would be kidnaped or harmed by strangers so as an ultimate desire to protect her, she trapped her in the basement like that no body will harm her child (The mother was eventually arrested in the end)

[@Domihork]

Yeah, it's definitely not lost on Disney with their Baby Yoda, Baby Groot, the Fire Lizard from Frozen II, Sox from Lightyear... The list goes on. There's almost always an absurdly cute character in everything they make.

[@NoSuffix]

I can attest to that theory. Among our children, the chubbiest baby got the most kisses & squeezes on her cheek. I just couldn't help myself somehow. Now I know why. I was simply overloaded with her cute chubby face.

[@starcrystal5551]

I learned in college that cute features were evolved as a way for aminals (humans & others alike) to sort of endear themselves within & across species. True cuteness apparently don't ward off predators looking for a meal however ; I then became convinced that aminals cuteness became a way for it to market its edibleness. Like; 'don't eat it unless it's cute' type of policy

[@tarakicordillera4120]

Gigil- a filipino word for an intense urge to squeeze, pinch or hold cute or adorable things Kawaii-a japanese word for cute

[@MariamArt_]

nicely done with y’all Filipinos adding your word to the Cambridge Dictionary and Oxford Dictionary for English lmaoooo 🎁🧸🌸

[@archenhailor]

@@MariamArt_ is this an "i'm sorry for being filipino, it's not my fault" reference?

[@Owl90]

Cute - an english word for something that's cute.

[@tarakicordillera4120]

@@MariamArt_ because there is no word for gigil in English

[@yanasur9257]

In Indonesian we call it "Gemas" or "Gemes"

[@catherine_404]

Yeah, I want to hug cats more than it's proper, they are so precious. They are so trusting, especially one of my younger cats, she just relaxes in my hands like a soft silk scarf (and tries to slide away, leak out of my hand cradle as if she was a slime). It's like wanting to hug, but to hug even MORE, which would hurt, so I stop. It's like my brain says, whoa, stop, there is a limit to the strength of the hug, overdoing would make it not a hug. Kiss, not bite.

[@Futurebound_jpg]

Sometimes i look at my cat and I literally HAVE TO yell “WHY ARE YOU SO CUTE” and grab and smooch her little fluffy face. Im so grateful she tolerates me 😂

[@jmrabinez9254]

0:02 Since when the f%$k do they get quotes from animated movies? You guys have really surprised me.

[@peperika7845]

This is one of the funniest TedEd videos I've seen, the way it was animated is so hilarious to me. And truly good to know that our minds can control and regulate the impulse to aggressively squeeze something cute

[@Axolotlcat200]

A kitten: hi:) Me: I kill cat >:) Kitten:Aaaaaaaa!!!!!! it’s a joke😊

[@yahiadughmi6596]

Awww 🥰 huge amount of cuteness in this video ❤

[@h7opolo]

4:43 accurate depiction lol

[@UzairJSherwani]

That's crazy! The question I've been wondering for half of my life answered in this video!

[@bababobo281]

this animation is the best ted ed video ive ever seen

[@shanianottwain6917]

I always explained it as wanting to "hug my babies so tightly that our souls touch". Lol

[@ElvenIvy07]

Maybe it comes from feeling that you've lost all control because the thing is so cute it has power over you. Maybe it's some kind of self-defense that helps to make you feel in control again. I've never felt any violent or aggressive thoughts when exposed to extreme cuteness but I've definitely felt a sense of weakness or as if I've been completely taken control of which almost makes me feel a kind of suffering or pain. Surely that aggression some people feel is tied to that suffering. It's not just any overwhelm it's like you're in a grip because that cute thing makes you feel like you'd give up anything and everything to protect it. Basically the main reason this emoji exists! 😩

[@macmedia1000]

Love the work TED-Ed and hope there's more History vs on the way.

[@sakshi8302]

Yeah, thank you so much for making a video about this. Its intriguing!!

[@thatameenguy847]

*a cute kitten* Literally everyone in their heads: _What would happen if I squish it aggressively_

[@jarthur5094]

Omg i expérience this feeling every day with my kitties. They are scrumptiously adorable and squishable

[@Idk-vq8hf]

I love the fact the the video answered the question without actually answering it

[@hooks3063]

I loved this animation style! Whoever’s idea this was need a raise

[@thomascapelotar8235]

I would love to see a Cugle search engine soon !!! This is so cute 🥰 haaaa I wanna cry

[@_ata_3]

Since childhood i remember feeling this and i knew it wasn't just a quirk of mine. BTW the drawings are awesome and funny!

[@CarlosAM1]

half of all adults was way more than I expected

[@EmmaAppleBerry]

I thought everyone did so im genuinely shocked and vaguely horrified like who are these monsters.

[@CarlosAM1]

@@EmmaAppleBerry idk, like the squeeze part I can understand to some level but biting?

[@dangerfly]

@@CarlosAM1 Is it really shocking that animals pin down (squeeze) and bite their prey? Predatory animals instinctually prioritize young prey for obvious reasons. Aren't humans subjected to the same rules of biology as any other animal?

[@thatguy5233]

@@CarlosAM1 i don't think it is meant to be understandable. it's just an instinct that you have to fight with (at least for me).

[@Sofia-xy4me]

the animation is amazing

[@iron_blood7]

Now I realise how Pokemon became the most profitable entertainment franchise!

[@ohdamnman]

And this is why I do not feel strange when I say I don't trust anything that is too cute

[@skipper0816]

this video was so cute and well done!! ❤

[@sapphyrus]

Thanks for explaining my cousin's relation to cats and how she often says she wants to eat up kittens!

[@TheCinnamondemon]

i dont want to crush or eat cute things, but i do find myself getting angry/frustrated with the cuteness. its definitely emotional overload for me, it's too much lol

[@DegreesOfThree]

Baby Schema would make a good rap name.

[@loszhor]

I'm so relieved for second of this video!

[@jmadriaga3298]

I'm obsessed with the way this talk is written! In Filipino, we use the word "gigil" to refer to cute aggression.

[@LunarShadowAlt]

i wonder, can this conclusion be applicable for human to human emotions?. like couples biting each other's arm randomly

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

Errr if you are talking about adults who are couples then that might be a different topic entirely. LOL

[@DylanL814]

Yeah like when people shoot at defenseless crowds

[@ThePolchRhythm]

Yes

[@PeterClotworthy]

You might be dating a vampire

[@LunarShadowAlt]

@@PeterClotworthy when i date

[@monorayjak4377]

I always heard that the response was from the overload. Our brains freak out, hence the overload, and then go into panic mode to try and find ways to stop the thing being cute and therefore stop the overload.

[@wailingalen]

I love the animation style. Very surreal and Yellow-Submarine-esque!

[@mhwtf5965]

whoever animated this is genius

[@wilburn5881]

Oh my god I have felt that so many times, it's like my brain is trying to get me to destroy the cute thing so it won't be so overwhelmed anymore

[@mbbbits4847]

Love how the letters look very squishy themselves 🥰

[@DemonetisedZone]

Half of all adults yet i have never heard of this, how is not not more talked about?

[@rhondahuggins9542]

My Mother always said, "Babies are so cute and helpless that you can't resist taking them home!"

[@NoOne-tg9tk]

And FBI is looking for her maybe

[@sophial.6633]

2:24 this is true. Cuteness is like a defense mechanism.

[@segaswirl3007]

The animation is so awesome

[@seohyeonchoi2150]

In South Korea, people sometimes say, "I want to bite you/it," to say someone (usually a child) or animal is super cute... now I know why!

[@sacrom5398]

4:04 ah yes, the phemboy phenomenon

[@tylerkwong4947]

It's a great topic!

[@imageez]

This is a very fitting animation style for this topic!

[@solidagold115]

This is so so interesting and it finally makes sense now!

[@gatitosdefresa]

Thanks for explaining this! One of my cats is so tiny and dainty but her eyes are so sparkly and big, her cheeeks are chubby and her nose is small and pink. Whenever im close to her i feel the urge to crush her with my hands or 5:50 squish her very hard and recently i heard about the cute aggression but I didn’t know the reason why it happens ❤

[@user-uu5wj9nx3h]

가축화현상 정말 흥미롭네요. 가축화될수록 귀여운 외모로 바뀐다니 놀랍습니다.

[@UncooIEditsOfffical.]

First seconds in and I’m already devastated. Nice job, TED.

[@crunbcxhy]

we have a term for this in my native language Tagalog! we call the feeling “gigil,” which is basically the urge to squeeze and/or smush something due to an overload of emotions such as anger or, as was described here, cute aggression.

[@davethebrave.]

i always thought prank's "pueze" came through and i laughed