If you just can't handle photos of cute puppies, there's a name for that

It's a phenomenon called "cute aggression." I've got it bad and you probably do too.

Seeing something cute can bring out a type of verbal and physical aggression in some people, according to a recent study. Maybe you've felt this way — you see a photo of a puppy or watch a video of a baby giggling and you can't help but grit your teeth, ball your hands into fists, and scream out, "Ahhhh, I can't even handle it!" Whatever you're looking at is so adorable it actually drives you crazy.

The feeling is similar to a loss of control. Researchers have two theories for it. One reason such cute photos drive us wild is because we can't reach out and give into that natural care instinct — it's just a photo, after all.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The more interesting theory is that such cuteness is too much of a good thing, and we're overwhelmed. To regulate those emotions, we give the positive feeling a bit of negativity. This happens in other ways, too, like if you're so happy you cry.

If you want to hear more about "cute aggression," as well as the other interesting and surprising facts that I learned this week, listen to this episode of "This week I learned" below. And, If you like what you hear, you can subscribe to The Week's podcasts on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher. —Lauren Hansen