Many people prefer to spend their time and effort focusing on scientific studies that are more…well, important. But with cat videos being a bit of an internet craze right now (because cat owners/lovers find enormous comfort in them), this brought on scientist to find out if they were actually benefiting the health of the viewers.
Assistant Professor Jessica Gall Myrick of Indiana University Bloomington took it upon herself to survey 6,500 people to determine if watching cat videos actually improved their mood. She argues that while something like watching cat videos seems silly for academic research, a large percentage of Internet time is spent watching said videos and the study could show what kind of effects it’s having on society.
Although her survey identified that some people feel guilty after watching cat videos because they are often doing it to put off work or other daunting tasks, many do find that they feel better after watching them. In fact, Myrick found that people were feeling so good after watching cat videos, they may even begin to work harder in the long run due to feeling happier, even if they are procrastinating the moment they are watching the videos.
Basically what this means is that watching videos of cats online will not only make you feel better, it may even turn you into a better person. So watch away, fellow cat lovers!
For more information on this study, visit IFLScience.com!