Jessica Myrick, Indiana University
According to ReelSEO.com, an internet site about video advertising and marketing, there are greater than two million cat movies on YouTube. People have watched these movies greater than 25 billion instances, which equates to a mean of 12,000 views per cat video.
The statistics communicate for themselves, however they don’t inform the entire story.
Perhaps it’s as a result of I’m a canine lover with a cat allergy, however the staggering quantity of cat media obtainable to web customers got here as a shock to me. With numbers like that, I couldn’t assist however surprise: who, precisely, is so drawn to this kind of content material? And what effects do cat-related media have on viewers?
The keyboard cat video has been seen over 40 million instances on YouTube.
These had been the overarching query that spurred my preliminary quest to assemble empirical information on the web cat phenomenon. I scoured tutorial databases to see what the literature might inform me, however discovered no current information about why individuals watched so many cat movies on-line, or what effects these movies might need on us.
So I made a decision to search out out myself.
My neighborhood web superstar feline – the lovely Lil Bub, who occurs to additionally dwell in Bloomington, Indiana – shared the hyperlink on her web site after I launched a web-based survey. With Bub’s assist, the survey shortly garnered practically 7,000 respondents.
The outcomes from this exploratory examine counsel that sure persons are, in truth, extra probably than others to view copious quantities of web cat movies. It additionally confirmed that cat movies can positively affect the feelings of viewers.
According to my examine, when you at present personal or have beforehand owned a cat – or when you’ve volunteered to help pets in the previous 12 months – you’re extra prone to watch cat movies. Cat video viewers additionally spent extra time on-line than different members, tended to be extra agreeable and shy, and felt that they had ample emotional assist of their lives. However, emotional stability was negatively (albeit solely barely) associated to watching on-line cat-related media.
The information additionally revealed details about the nature of viewers interactions with on-line cat media. Three-quarters of respondents didn’t actively search out cat content material. Instead, they occurred upon it in the course of their every day web use.
This implies that it’s arduous to keep away from web cats, even if you wish to.
It’s powerful to keep away from encountering web cat celebrities like Lil Bub.
Still, on-line cat movies aren’t all about passive consumption. Many individuals indicated additionally they produce their very own cat-related media to put up on-line, which regularly amass feedback and likes. Online cat-media consumption is subsequently an interactive course of the place media customers will be media producers and media critics, all in the identical house.
But I actually wished to be taught what effects watching on-line cat movies might need on viewers.
People in my examine reported experiencing extra constructive feelings and having increased power ranges after watching cat movies than earlier than. They additionally reported decrease ranges of damaging feelings after viewing on-line cat-related content material.
In quick, most of us get a little bit psychological “pick-me-up” after we watch Lil Bub climb the stairs or view a hilarious Grumpy Cat meme.
You may surprise: So what? Why does this examine matter past its momentary leisure worth?
Well, we now spend extra time with media than ever earlier than. If – as my examine suggests – half of that media eating regimen contains cute pet movies, then it’s vital to know the way that particular style impacts us psychologically if we need to actually perceive the position of media use in shaping who we’re.
Second, media is commonly criticized (typically rightfully so) for harming society – for making us violent, confused about science and even narcissistic. This examine, although, signifies that media use can have a useful impression. Even a short-lived enhance in a single’s temper might assist somebody make it by means of a day or cost by means of an disagreeable activity.
A distraction, or a mood-enhancer?
Because this examine was an exploratory try to quantify an anecdotally fashionable exercise, I don’t assume it must be the remaining phrase on the position of pet-related media in our lives. Instead, it must be a springboard for extra analysis.
Experiments that use management teams can check differing kinds of cat movies (eg, humorous, cute, or inspirational) for variations in emotional reactions. Additionally, researchers might check if digitized cats or canine can function a low-cost kind of pet remedy for many who are allergic to actual pets.
Cat movies are right here to remain, so I hope researchers proceed to check the potential “paw-sitive” effects of this kind of media.
Jessica Myrick, Assistant Professor of Media, Indiana University
This article is republished from The Conversation below a Creative Commons license. Read the authentic article.
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