There is a scientific reason behind this strange but familiar mix of feelings
Researchers have spent years looking into the unusual urge some people describe as wanting to bite or squeeze something because they find it overwhelmingly adorable. It can feel intense and confusing, yet it is far more common than many people realize.
If you are still getting the hang of how complicated emotions can be, this is a good reminder that feelings often overlap in strange ways, and reacting to them sometimes adds another layer of chaos.
But that blend of messy reactions and powerful feelings is also part of what makes the human experience so unique.
There is a specific type of behavior that falls into this category, and although it might sound alarming if taken literally, most people have heard someone joke about it at least once.
This reaction happens when something feels so cute or so overwhelmingly wonderful that you want to pinch it, squeeze it, or even bite it, sometimes with a surprising level of intensity. The description may sound odd, but many people recognize the feeling instantly.
What seems like a bizarre response actually has a scientific explanation, and experts say it does not mean anything is wrong with you. They have made it clear this reaction is not a sign of being dangerous or unbalanced.
According to Oriana Aragon, a social psychologist and assistant professor of marketing at the University of Cincinnati, these intense reactions can signal deep affection and are commonly referred to as “cute aggression.”
Speaking to Phys.org, Aragon explained that she has spent more than ten years studying what researchers call “dimorphous expressions,” which are emotional responses that appear contradictory on the surface.
She said: "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."
A 2021 study she worked on found that more than 75 percent of participants had cried tears of joy at some point in their lives, which is one example of this kind of mixed emotional expression. Other reactions may be less common, but they still fall within the range of normal behavior, even when they look aggressive.
She explained that the urge to bite, pinch, punch, or squeeze something adorable may look forceful, but the person feeling it has no intention of hurting anyone or anything.
She added: "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 all over the world show dimorphous expressions, regardless of age or gender. She said cultural expectations and social norms may affect how someone acts on these feelings, but the emotions themselves appear universal.
She added that many people take steps to make sure others do not misunderstand their strong reactions, especially when the behavior could easily be misread.
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."