When we encounter these "high-Button" stimuli, our brains release and oxytocin , activating the same reward systems as delicious food or winning a prize. Comparisons in the "Unusual Units" Hall of Fame
The definition is simple: is equal to the cuteness of one "garden-variety" dog.
While "Buttons" are whimsical, the science of why we find things cute is surprisingly rigorous. Austrian ethologist Konrad Lorenz famously defined the (Baby Schema) , a set of physical features that trigger our caretaking instincts: Large eyes relative to the face. A high, protruding forehead. Chubby cheeks and a rounded body.
According to popular math humorist Ben Orlin of Math with Bad Drawings , the fundamental unit of cuteness is the (