Cute Rectangles

Yes, research indicates that some shapes are cuter than others; while this research at first might not appear to be very useful, it can be handy the next time you’re selecting a baby gift, redecorating a child’s room, or engaged in some other similar pursuit.

Cho and team report that “229 participants completed a task in which they modified a rectangle for the parameters of size, colour, angle, height, -width ratio, and roundness to create a ‘cute rectangle.’

As predicated, the  ‘cute rectangles’ created by participants were significantly smaller, lighter, more tilted, or rounder than the reference shape.”

During the online study, participants adjusted the form, e.g., the shape, tilt, etc. of a rectangle so that it seemed “cuter.”

Sookyung Cho, Jason Dydynski, and Christine Kang.  “Universality and Specificity of the Kindchenschema:  A Cross-Cultural Study on Cute Rectangles.”  Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, in press, http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/aca0000338