CAT VIDEOS ARE GOOD FOR YOU, SAYS SCIENCE

(June, 2015) According to a new study published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, people can benefit from watching cat videos. Jessica Gall Myrick, assistant professor at The Media School at Indiana University and author of the study, surveyed almost 7,000 people about their cat video viewing habits as well as how they felt before and after watching the clips. “For most people, it improved their mood,” Myrick reported. “Specifically, they reported after watching Internet cat videos that they felt more hopeful, more positive, more inspired, and they also tended to feel less anxious, less angry – we saw a decrease in negative emotions. Even if they are watching cat videos on YouTube to procrastinate or while they should be working, the emotional payoff may actually help people take on tough tasks afterward.” Some may still say that cat videos are a waste of time, and studying people who watch cat videos is an even bigger waste. Myrick begs to differ. “Some people may think watching online cat videos isn’t a serious enough topic for academic research, but the fact is that it’s one of the most popular uses of the Internet today. If we want to better understand the effects the Internet may have on us as individuals and on society, then researchers can’t ignore Internet cats anymore.” For the record, Myrick owns a pug, and posts videos of it online, but no cats.
* That’s INDIANA UNIVERSITY, moms and dads who are thinking of sending your kid there.
* Has science run out of things to, you know, science?
* What happens if you watch Grumpy Cat? Do you start feeling worse?
* She’s only an assistant professor right now, but if she keeps putting out work like this, she could end up … as the janitor.
* Translation: She was screwing off at work one day looking at cat videos and her boss walked in. So she had to make this up.
* “Wasting time? No sir. This is a serious study I’m doing.”
* She’s got one thing right – people sure are looking at lots of pussies on the Internet.