Researchers have been exploring the unusual urge to bite or squeeze something out of sheer joy.
If you’re unfamiliar with human emotions, they can be quite complex, and acting on them can further complicate matters.
However, this complexity is part of what defines us as human beings.
There is, however, a phenomenon that might raise eyebrows if acted upon, but many have likely heard it expressed, even humorously.
The sensation of finding something so irresistibly cute or amazing that you want to bite, pinch, or even squeeze it to the brink….
sounds odd, yet there’s a scientific rationale for it, and experts assure that it doesn’t indicate psychopathy.
Oriana Aragon, a social psychologist and assistant professor of marketing at the University of Cincinnati, explains that these feelings can be signs of intense affection, commonly known as ‘cute aggression’.
In an interview with Phys.org, Aragon shared insights from over ten years of studying ‘dimorphous expressions’.
She noted: “Those strong feelings are welling up in us, and we are displaying something that’s the opposite of care and affection.
“We’re biting and pinching and doing things that on the surface are associated with aggression.”
Her 2021 study revealed that over 75% of people have cried tears of joy at some point, exemplifying this phenomenon. While some expressions are less common, they are still normal, even if they seem aggressive.
Aragon emphasized that urges to bite, pinch, or squeeze something cute may appear aggressive, but there is no intent to harm.
She explained: “When people do them, they seem to do more than one.
“And some people don’t do them at all. The person who cries at a wedding is more likely to be the person who pinches the baby’s cheeks and also more likely to be the person who would playfully bite a lover.”
Interestingly, Aragon noted that people worldwide, regardless of gender or age, exhibit dimorphous expressions. However, societal norms might affect how they act on these feelings.
She also mentioned that some individuals take steps to ensure their emotions aren’t misinterpreted by their seemingly aggressive behavior.
Aragon said: “I know from my work with tears of joy, people who do a dimorphous expression who are around others who don’t or who are not dimorphously expressing will actually explicitly say, ‘These are happy tears. These are happy tears.
“They try to make sure it’s very clear that it’s not intended to be the negative thing that’s showing.”