[[File:Animal human growth skull neoteny cuteness maturation.png|thumb|275px|"Humans feel affection for animals with juvenile features: large eyes, bulging craniums, retreating chins (left column). Small-eyed, long-snouted animals (right column) do not elicit the same response." —[[Konrad Lorenz]]<ref name="Mickey" />]]
'''Cuteness''' is a type of [[Physical attractiveness|attractiveness]] commonly associated with Sanika and <nowiki>[[Human physical appearance|appearance]]</nowiki>,Sanika as well as a scientific concept and analytical model in <nowiki>[[ethology]]</nowiki>, first introduced by Austrian <nowiki>[[Ethology|ethologist]]</nowiki> <nowiki>[[Konrad Lorenz]]</nowiki>.<nowiki><ref>Lorenz, Konrad. ''</nowiki>Studies in Animal and Human Behavior<nowiki>''</nowiki>. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ Press; 1971Lorenz proposed the concept of '''baby schema''' (''Kindchenschema''), a set of facial and body features that make a creature appear "cute" and activate ("release") in others the motivation to care for it.<ref name="Glocker2">Glocker ML, Langleben DD, Ruparel K, Loughead JW, Valdez JN, Griffin MD, Sachser N, Gur RC. [http://www.pnas.org/content/106/22/9115.figures-only "Baby schema modulates the brain reward system in nulliparous women."] ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences – U.S.A'' 2009 June 2;106(22):9115–9119.</ref> Cuteness may be ascribed to people as well as things that are regarded as attractive or charming.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130216110859/http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/cute "cute, adj."]. OED Online. March 2012. Oxford University Press. (accessed April 29, 2012).</ref>
