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

Prevodilac: Una Kavazović Lektor: Milenka Okuka

Watching a kitten fumbling around,

Dok gledate mače kako se igra,

it might feel as if you’ve never encountered anything

možda ćete se osetiti kao da nikada niste sreli ništa

so devastatingly adorable in your mortal life.

toliko slatko u vašem ljudskom životu.

You may want to pet its soft fur and kiss its tiny head.

Možda poželite da pomazite mekano krzno i poljubite njegovu malenu glavu.

But you may also feel the conflicting urge to squeeze

Mđutim, možda i osetite konfliktni nagon da stisnete

or smush the kitten,

ili zgnjavite mače,

maybe even stuff it in your mouth.

možda ga čak i pojedete.

However, you don’t.

Međutim, to nećete uraditi.

And you might be appalled by yourself.

Možda ćete biti zgroženi sobom.

But this urge, which psychologists call “cute aggression,”

Ovaj nagon, koji psiholozi nazivaju „slatkom agresijom,”

is a surprisingly common one estimated to affect about half of all adults.

iznenađujuće je čest i pretpostavlja se da utiče na oko polovine svih odraslih.

To better understand this peculiar phenomenon,

Kako bismo bolje razumeli ovaj neobični fenomen,

let's start with what cuteness is.

pogledajmo prvo šta je to slatkoća.

In 1943, one scientist created a baby schema

Godine 1943, jedan naučnik je napravio bebi šemu

that identified key features associated with cuteness,

koja je prepoznavala ključne odlike vezane za slatkoću,

like plump cheeks, large eyes, and short limbs.

kao što su buckasti obrazi, krupne oči i kratki udovi.

These characteristics, associated with many young animals,

Ove osobine, vezane za dosta mladunčadi,

were placed in opposition with those perceived as less cute.

stavljene su nasuprot onih koje smatramo manje slatkim.

Decades of study have since indicated that this baby schema reliably tracks

Decenije istraživanja pokazale su da ova bebi šema pouzdano prati

with how people perceive cuteness.

kako ljudi doživljavaju slatkoću.

When study participants see images containing more features

Kada su učesnici studije videli slike koje sadrže više odlika

that the baby schema pinpoints as cute,

koje bebi šema ističe kao slatke,

they tend to look at them longer and more often.

imali su običaj da ih gledaju duže i češće.

And the photos appear to stimulate brain regions

Čini se da su ove slike stimulisale oblasti mozga

associated with emotion and reward.

vezane za osećanja i nagradu.

Cuteness is also thought to influence behavior.

Takođe se smatra da slatkoća utiče na ponašanje.

In a 2009 study, participants performed better at the game Operation—

U studiji iz 2009. godine, učesnici su bili bolji u društvenoj igri Operacija—

which demands precise, careful movements— when shown cute images beforehand.

koja zahteva precizne, pažljive pokrete— kada su im pokazane slatke slike pre toga.

The results of another study indicated that people use recycling bins more

Rezultati druge studije sugerisali su da ljudi više koriste kante za recikliranje

when they have cute images on them.

kada su na njima slatke slike.

And the fact that cuteness hijacks our emotions

Činjenica da slatkoća utiče na naše osećaje

is certainly not lost on authorities and advertisers.

je definitivno nešto što su nadležni organi i promoteri primetili.

But why does cuteness have this hold on us?

Međutim, zašto slatkoća utiče ovako na nas?

It's nearly impossible to know for sure,

Skoro je nemoguće znati sa sigurnošću,

but one theory is that cute things simply make us want to nurture them.

ali jedna teorija je da prosto želimo da se brinemo o slatkim stvarima.

Because human babies are relatively helpless on their own,

Pošto su ljudske bebe relativno bespomoćne kada su same,

it’s hypothesized that evolution favored infants who were perceived as cute

hipoteza je da je evolucija favorizovala bebe koje su doživljavane kao slatke

and inspired more care and interaction.

i koje su izazivale više nege i pažnje.

And, being acutely sensitive to cuteness,

Kako smo prilično osetljivi na slatkoću,

we're tuned into similar features in other species.

prirodno prepoznajemo slične odlike i kod drugih vrsta.

In fact, as we domesticated animals, their appearances tended to change too.

Kako smo pripitomljavali životinje, tako se polako menjao i njihov izgled.

Some scientists have noted a phenomenon called “domestication syndrome,”

Neki naučnici ovaj fenomen nazivaju „sindromom domestikacije,”

where certain animals appear to have gradually adopted more juvenile features

gde određene životinje počinju postepeno dobijati mladolike osobine

as they became more docile.

kako postaju poslušnije.

One theory is that these physical changes are regulated

Jedna teorija je da se ove fizičke promene regulišu

by an embryonic structure called the neural crest.

embrionalnom strukturom koja se zove nervni greben.

It helps determine how some of a developing embryo’s cells

To pomaže da se odredi kako se neke embrionske ćelije u razvoju

differentiate and where they go.

razlikuju i kuda idu.

Delaying or inhibiting the arrival of these cells in certain areas of the body

Odlaganje ili sprečavanje dolaska ovih ćelija u određene delove tela

can result in an underdevelopment of the pituitary and adrenal glands,

može dovesti do nerazvijenosti hipofize i nadbubrežnih žlezda,

which govern fear and aggression.

koje upravljaju strahom i agresijom.

It can also lead to physical characteristics

Može dovesti i do fizičkih osobina

like floppier ears, shorter snouts, and smaller jaws.

kao što su spuštene uši, kraće njuške i manje vilice.

This is one idea of how selecting for behavioral characteristics

Ovo je jedna od ideja kako selekcija osobina ponašanja,

like friendliness, may also select for more juvenile, cuter physical traits.

poput druželjubivosti, može biti usmerena i na mladolike, slađe fizičke osobine.

Basically, as humans bred and domesticated docile dogs,

Kako su ljudi uzgajali i pripitomljavali poslušne pse,

we seem to have made some breeds look more like babies.

izgleda da su načinili da neke rase pasa počnu ličiti na bebe.

Some scientists theorize that we may have even domesticated ourselves.

Neki naučnici misle da smo možda čak pripitomili i sami sebe.

The thinking here is that as ancient humans

Ideja proističe iz toga da kada su se u staro doba

formed larger, more cooperative groups,

formirale veće, kooperativne grupe,

they selected for friendlier individuals.

birali su se druželjubiviji pojedinci.

This may have then led to some of the physical characteristics

Ovo je možda dovelo do nekih fizičkih osobina

that distinguish us from our closest evolutionary cousins,

koje nas razlikuju od naših najbližih evolucijskih srodnika,

like smaller, rounder skulls and subtler brow ridges.

poput manje, oblije lobanje i suptilnijeg položaja obrva.

But if cuteness is related to nurturing and decreased aggression,

Ali, ako je slatkoća vezana za negu i smanjenu agresiju,

why would anyone ever want to squeeze or bite cute things?

zašto bi iko želeo da stisne ili gricne slatke stvari?

Well, cute aggression is importantly not linked

Slatka agresija nije toliko vezana

to the actual intention to do harm.

za nameru da nekoga zaista povredimo.

Instead, it seems to result from emotional overload.

Zapravo, čini se da je ovo rezultat emocionalne preopterećenosti.

Some scientists think that cute things elicit such positive emotions

Neki naučnici misle da slatke stvari izazivaju toliko jaka pozitivna osećanja

from certain people that the experience becomes overwhelming.

kod nekih ljudi da ih to iskustvo počinje preopterećivati.

They hypothesize that slightly aggressive, discordant thoughts

Oni prepostavljaju da su pomalo agresivne, neskladne misli

are the brain’s way of putting the brakes on and regulating those intense feelings—

način na koji mozak usporava i reguliše ova intenzivna osećanja—

not getting you to actually eat a kitten.

ne navode vas da zaista pojedete mače.

Cuteness can come off as a frivolous, innocent quality,

Slatkoća se može činiti sićušnom, nevinom osobinom,

but it wields immense, consequential power.

ali ona ima ogromnu posledičnu moć.

Not to be aggressive, but cuteness kind of runs the world.

Ne bismo da zvučimo agresivno, ali slatkoća vlada svetom.