babyfacedness

babyfacedness

n. the attribute of having an adult face with configural features resembling those of an infant, that is, large eyes, full cheeks, a round shape, a protruding forehead, and a small nose and chin. Research has shown that babyfaced adults are often assumed to possess childlike qualities, such as higher levels of innocence and lower levels of competence. This assumption and its influence upon how babyfaced people are treated by others is termed the babyface overgeneralization effect.