Influence of Implicit Attitudes Toward Infants on the Perception of Infant Cuteness1

Abstract

It has been reported that males in early adulthood may experience difficulty in perceiving infant cuteness. This phenomenon has been attributed to the evolutionary acquisition of parenting‐related responses; however, the factors that influence individual differences in cuteness perception remain unclear. The present study investigated the impact of implicit attitudes toward infants on the accuracy of infant cuteness perception among Japanese university students (N = 72). A novel Implicit Association Test was developed to assess implicit attitudes toward infants. The findings revealed that females had more accurate perceptions of infant cuteness and more positive implicit attitudes toward infants. Notably, among males, a more positive implicit attitude toward infants was associated with increased accuracy in perceiving infant cuteness. Finally, the mechanisms by which various responses to infants are acquired were discussed.