It's a fact, the Internet is full of videos of cats doing funny or cute things. It doesn't matter if they are adults or puppies, purebred or mestizo, the millions of files that exist are shared on social networks by all kinds of people who enjoy them on a daily basis.
Now then, why do we enjoy it so much? Is it just a fad or is there more to it? Find out in this article on our site about the Benefits of Watching Cat Videos. Keep reading!
Cat videos on the Internet, a massive phenomenon
If you were asked how many cat videos you've seen or shared today, what would you answer? Chances are you don't even remember the exact number, but a few are definitely included in your daily shifts.
The truth is that the reproductions showing felines doing funny or simply funny things have become so popular on the Internet, that on a network like YouTube it is estimated that there are around 2 million, which have about 26 million views, a pretty high number.
The rise of these social networks allows these videos to be appreciated anywhere in the world, by people of all social strata and languages, through websites that allow them not only to enjoy them, but also share them with other people to continue the disclosure.
Today, the most popular networks to watch cat videos are the aforementioned YouTube, Facebook, Buzzfeed and the ever most famous Instagram, where it is also possible to closely follow the lives of certain felines.
Now then, have you ever wondered why they are so popular? Or why do you yourself spend so much of your day watching videos like this? Well someone else asked this same question and did some research to find the answers.
A study on cats
Dr Jessica Gall Myrick noticed the invasion of cats on the Internet and began to wonder if there was any reason why people feel that strong need to spend several minutes a day looking at them. Was it just distraction or was there another underlying reason?
To find answers to this question, he began a study that involved a survey of 7,000 netizens with the sole objective of evaluating their reactions after watching the videos and the reasons that prompted them to share them and even search for more.
The research was carried out at the Indiana University Media School and was en titled "Emotional balance, procrastination and watching cat videos online: who watches cats on the Internet? Why do they do it?" and what are its effects" (Emotion regulation, procrastination and watching cats videos online: Who watches Internet cats, why and to what effect? in English), and was published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior.
The objective of the study was not only to determine who watched these videos and what caused them, but also to analyze how the phenomenon affects society and the individuals that make it up. Among those surveyed by the doctor, 37% declared themselves as cat lovers, but the rest of the people also confessed to consuming these videos frequently.
Now then, what do you think were the results? Do you imagine that it is something really positive or is it just enjoyment without major consequences?
Is it beneficial to watch cat videos?
The study conducted by Dr. Myrick not only showed that watching cat videos had several benefits, but also that they were related to procrastination. Here is a summary of its main results:
- Respondents reported feeling more energy and a motivation raised after watching the videos.
- Most of them were introverts, so sharing them on social media allowed them to interact electronically with other people.
- The possible guilt they might feel for procrastinating, because they put their jobs and tasks aside during the minutes they spent watching the videos, was compensated with the happinessthey felt at the end.
- In most cases, these minutes of procrastination allowed them to be more productive and enthusiastic in their subsequent work.
- Many respondents grew a sense of hope and that they would achieve what they had set out to do that day.
As if that were not enough, the doctor determined and raised the possibility that, in view of these positive results, zootherapy could be carried out in the future, or therapy with animals , through digital media, because, although its effectiveness has been proven, few people can access it. this type of therapy due to the high costs involved.
So you know, if you take a few minutes a day to have fun watching these cat videos, leave the guilt behind and enjoy the benefitsthat entails:
