The behavioral, emotional, and attentional effects of human baby schema

• Other Authors: Machluf, Karin (author)
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Florida Atlantic University
• Subjects: Ego (Psychology); Emotions in infants; Empathy; Evolutionary psychology; Genetic psychology; Human behavior; Identity (Philosophical concept); Moral development; Parent and child
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004452; http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004452

Children exhibit neotenous, or physically immature, features, such as a large rounded head relative to body size, adult-sized eyes, round cheeks, a small chin, and a short narrow nose. Bowlby (1969) and others (Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1989; Hrdy, 2005) propose that, in species whose young depend on care from an adult, these features could enhance offspring survival. Lorenz (1943) argued that adult humans are particularly attracted to these features, and that these characteristics, which he termed Kindchenschema or “baby schema,” trigger a cognitive system that processes and reacts specifically to infantile features for the purpose of enhancing motivation to engage in caretaking behaviors. The goal of the studies proposed here is to examine the behavioral, attentional, and emotional effects of baby schema. === Includes bibliography. === Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015 === FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection