It’s a fact, the Internet is full of videos of cats doing funny or tender things. It does not matter if they are adults or puppies, of race or mestizos, the millions of files that exist are shared on social networks by all kinds of people who enjoy them every day.
Now, why do we enjoy it so much? Is it a fad or is there something else? Find out in this article about benefits of watching videos of cats. Keep reading!
Videos of cats on the Internet, a massive phenomenon
If they asked you how many cat videos have you seen or shared today, what would you answer? Most likely, you do not even remember the exact number, but in the end a few are included in your daily days.
The truth is that the Internet has popularized both the reproductions that show felines doing fun or simply funny, in a network such as YouTube is estimated to exist around 2 million, which have some 26 million views, a quite 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 to share them with other people to continue with the disclosure.
Today, the most popular networks to watch videos of cats are the aforementioned YouTube, Facebook, Buzzfeed and the increasingly famous Instagram, where it is also possible to follow closely the life of certain cats.
Now, have you ever wondered why they are so popular ?, Or why do you spend so much time of your day watching videos of this type? Well, someone else asked this same question and did an investigation to find the answers.
A study about cats
Dr. Jessica Gall Myrick He noticed the invasion of cats that exists on the Internet and began to wonder if there was any reason for people to feel that strong need to spend several minutes a day watching them. Would it be just for distraction or would there be another hidden reason?
To find answers to this question, he started a study that included a survey carried out to 7.000 cybernauts with the sole purpose of evaluating their reactions after watching the videos and the reasons that impelled them to share them and even to look for more.
The research was conducted at the Indiana University Media School and was entitled “Emotional balance, procasting and watching videos of cats online: who watch Internet cats ?, Why they do it and what are its effects” (Emotion regulation, procrastination and watching cats online: Who watches Internet cats, why and to what effect? in English), and was published in the magazine Computers in Human Behavior.
The objective of the study was not only to determine who saw these videos and what caused them, but also analyze the way the phenomenon affects society and the individuals that comprise it. Among those surveyed by the doctor, an 37% was declared as lovers of cats, but the rest of the people also confessed to consume these videos frequently.
Now, what do you think the results were? Do you imagine that it is something really positive or is it just an enjoyment without major consequences?
Is it beneficial to watch videos of cats?
The study conducted by Dr. Myrick not only showed that watching videos of cats brought several benefits, but also these were related to to procrastinate. Here is a summary of its main results:
- The respondents confessed to feel with more energy and a motivation elevated after watching the videos.
- Most of them were introverted people, so sharing them on social networks allowed them interact electronically with other people.
- The possible guilt that they could feel for procrastinating, since they left their jobs and tasks aside during the minutes they used to watch the videos, was compensated with the happiness what they felt at the end.
- In most cases, these procrastination minutes allowed them to be more productive and enthusiasts in their later work.
- In many of the respondents the feeling of esperanza 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, she could in the future perform zootherapy, or animal therapy, through digital media, because, although its effectiveness has been proven, few people can access this type of therapy because of the high costs involved.
So you know, if you spend a few minutes a day to have fun watching these videos of cats, leave behind guilt and enjoy the benefits what it entails:
If you want to read more articles similar to Benefits of watching videos of cats, we recommend that you enter in our Curiosities section of the animal world.