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

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Watching a kitten fumbling around,

看著一隻小貓很萌地玩耍，

it might feel as if you’ve never encountered anything

感覺可能就像是你這輩子

so devastatingly adorable in your mortal life.

沒遇到這麼夭壽可愛的東西。

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

你可能會想摸摸牠那軟軟的毛，

親親牠那小小的頭。

But you may also feel the conflicting urge to squeeze

但你可能也會有種很衝突的衝動，

讓你想要擠捏或壓扁這隻小貓，

or smush the kitten,

maybe even stuff it in your mouth.

或甚至把牠塞到你的嘴裡。

However, you don’t.

然而，你不會這麼做。

And you might be appalled by yourself.

你可能會被你的念頭給嚇壞。

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

這種衝動被心理學家稱為 「可愛侵略性」，

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

普遍程度十分驚人，

有大約一半的成人會受它影響。

To better understand this peculiar phenomenon,

為了更了解這種奇怪的現象，

let's start with what cuteness is.

咱們首先來談談「可愛」是什麼。

In 1943, one scientist created a baby schema

1943 年，

一名科學家創造出了一種寶寶圖式，

that identified key features associated with cuteness,

找出和可愛相關的關鍵特徵，如：

like plump cheeks, large eyes, and short limbs.

胖嘟嘟的臉頰、大眼睛，及短肢體。

These characteristics, associated with many young animals,

許多年幼的動物也有這些特徵，

were placed in opposition with those perceived as less cute.

它們被拿來和被認為 不那麼可愛的特徵做對比。

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

之後數十年的研究都指出， 這種寶寶圖式能很可靠地追蹤出

with how people perceive cuteness.

人們如何認定什麼是可愛。

When study participants see images containing more features

若研究受試者看的圖像

具有較多寶寶圖式 所指明的可愛特徵，

that the baby schema pinpoints as cute,

they tend to look at them longer and more often.

他們傾向會比較常看 這些圖像，且看比較久。

And the photos appear to stimulate brain regions

而這些照片會刺激到的大腦區域

associated with emotion and reward.

很顯然和情緒及獎勵有關。

Cuteness is also thought to influence behavior.

「可愛」也被認為會影響行為。

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

在一項 2009 年的研究中，

受試者玩手術遊戲 表現較佳的時候——

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

這種遊戲需要精確、謹慎的動作——

都是預先看過可愛影像的時候。

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

另一項研究的結果顯示，如果 想讓大家更常用回收垃圾筒，

when they have cute images on them.

就要在筒子上加上可愛的圖像。

And the fact that cuteness hijacks our emotions

而可愛會劫持我們的情緒這個事實，

is certainly not lost on authorities and advertisers.

當權機關和廣告商肯定都會運用。

But why does cuteness have this hold on us?

但為什麼可愛對我們有這種支配力？

It's nearly impossible to know for sure,

幾乎不可能有肯定的答案，

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

但有一個理論是：可愛的東西 就會讓我們想要養育它們。

Because human babies are relatively helpless on their own,

因為人類的寶寶相對 比較無助，不能靠自己，

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

這個理論便假設，演化 會偏愛被認為可愛的嬰兒，

and inspired more care and interaction.

並會帶來更多照顧和互動。

And, being acutely sensitive to cuteness,

因為我們對可愛的敏感度很高，

we're tuned into similar features in other species.

我們就會連結到 其他物種的類似特徵。

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

事實上，當我們馴養動物時，

牠們的外觀也傾向會改變。

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

有些科學家注意到了一種 稱為「馴化症候群」的現象，

where certain animals appear to have gradually adopted more juvenile features

當某些動物變得更溫馴， 牠們顯然也會漸漸

as they became more docile.

出現更幼年的特徵。

One theory is that these physical changes are regulated

有個理論是，調節這些身體改變的

by an embryonic structure called the neural crest.

是一種胎兒時期的結構， 叫做神經脊。

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

它會協助決定一些 在成長中的胚胎細胞

differentiate and where they go.

要如何分化和到那些部位。

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

延遲或抑制這些細胞 抵達身體的某些區域

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

可能會造成腦垂體 和腎上腺發育不足，

which govern fear and aggression.

它們負責掌管恐懼和侵略性，

It can also lead to physical characteristics

還可能造成身體上的特徵，如：

like floppier ears, shorter snouts, and smaller jaws.

下垂的耳朵、較短的鼻子， 以及較小的下顎。

This is one idea of how selecting for behavioral characteristics

這是其中一個想法，說明 為何挑選友善之類的行為特徵

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

可能也等同於挑選比較年幼、 比較可愛的身體特徵。

Basically, as humans bred and domesticated docile dogs,

基本上，隨著人類 繁殖和馴養出溫馴的狗，

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

我們似乎會讓一些品種 看起來更像嬰兒。

Some scientists theorize that we may have even domesticated ourselves.

有些科學家甚至推理，我們 可能已經馴化了我們自己。

The thinking here is that as ancient humans

他們的想法是，當古時的人類

formed larger, more cooperative groups,

組成更大、更團結合作的團體，

they selected for friendlier individuals.

他們也會挑選比較友善的人。

This may have then led to some of the physical characteristics

這可能進而導致我們 和我們在演化上的近親

that distinguish us from our closest evolutionary cousins,

在一些身體特徵上有所區別，

like smaller, rounder skulls and subtler brow ridges.

比如我們的顱骨比較小、比較圓，

以及眉脊比較精細。

But if cuteness is related to nurturing and decreased aggression,

但，如果可愛和養育 以及侵略性減低有關，

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

為什麼會有人想要 擠捏或啃咬可愛的東西？

Well, cute aggression is importantly not linked

嗯，很重要的是，可愛侵略性

和想要造成傷害的意圖無關。

to the actual intention to do harm.

Instead, it seems to result from emotional overload.

它反而似乎是情緒過載造成的結果。

Some scientists think that cute things elicit such positive emotions

有些科學家認為可愛的東西 會引起這種正面的情緒，

from certain people that the experience becomes overwhelming.

有些人會覺得這樣的感受 變得讓他們難以承受。

They hypothesize that slightly aggressive, discordant thoughts

他們假設稍微侵略性、不協調的想法

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

是大腦踩煞車以及管理 這些強烈感覺的方式——

not getting you to actually eat a kitten.

不是真的要讓你去吃一隻小貓。

Cuteness can come off as a frivolous, innocent quality,

可愛有可能是以一種輕浮、 無辜的特質呈現出來，

but it wields immense, consequential power.

但它能產生巨大、重大的力量。

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

沒有任何侵略性的意思，

但「可愛」可以說是主宰著世界。