The Prevalence and Potential Problem of Cuteness in Zoomorphic Robots

Cuteness is a powerful aesthetic, and psychological research shows that cute things such as infants, baby animals, and toys capture and secure our attention, promote nurturing behaviour, and influence our preferences. Therefore, cuteness is a common design outcome in many consumer products, including robotics. However, we suggest that making cute zoomorphic robots may not be without its issues due to the complexities introduced by the analogies they make to various animals. We summarise the impact of cuteness in animals and robotics and analyse the intersection of the two domains by comparing the presence of baby schema features in different canine zoomorphic robots and dog breeds. Finally, we speculate on the benefits and drawbacks to cute zoomorphic robots, and provide suggestions for a new design approach that centres animals’ well-being. The aim of this work is to synthesise research on cuteness from different disciplines and prompt robot designers to be more conscious of cuteness and its potentially detrimental consequences in zoomorphic robots.