You’re probably concerned about the plight of polar bears. You may reach for your wallet when you see a panda on a fundraising flyer. But have you given much thought to the blobfish?
More often than not, our reactions to animals are not very rational. Regardless of the threats to their survival, we love and often try to help animals we think are beautiful or cute. Others, not so much.
People who raise money for conservation know this. That’s why the World Wildlife Fund has a panda on its logo and why certain animals are said to have “donor appeal.”
Animals we like tend to be big, furry, and have forward-facing eyes. We’re particularly fond of animals that look like human babies, with big heads (relative to their bodies), chubby faces, and big round eyes.
Konrad Lorenz, a 20th-century Austrian ethologist, identified this set of characteristics and called it Kindchenschema, ...
