The Surprising Benefits of Watching Cute Cat Videos

[@gabriel300010]

Person: Do you really need the cat to do this? Expert craftsman: The cat is essential

[@Kittsuera]

yes, the cat is needed for PURRfection.

[@internetstranger3686]

See? I wasn't wasting my time! I was just... Improving myself...

[@supremajullibeama6249]

Ture dat, dat true

[@merriellenroselette5191]

I personally love watching cat videos because I'm allergic. And watching happy cats be cared for and loved, makes me feel all warm and happy. And hearing them purring calms my anxiety a lot. (Sometimes will lull me to sleep) And when I get stuck in OCD spirals, or unsettling intrusive thoughts jump me, or I'm experiencing PTSD flashbacks.. The sound of a cat and seeing a cat just, it takes my focus on it and I feel all happy because it's content and loved and living its best life. That's a great feeling. I like it, I'm happy people post videos of their lovely cats. Because it helps me more than they know.❤🐈

[@mmtruooao8377]

Omg no I'm so scared of needles but I'm sure I'd try to get those shots that can make you immune to cats I can't live without them :(

[@merriellenroselette5191]

@@mmtruooao8377 I'm scared of needles too.fam. ,--, That is not an option for me. But I hope it will work for you ❤

[@NewMessage]

* Slams laptop shut * Yes.... cute kittens... That's what I've been watching... * Darts eyes *

[@sebastianelytron8450]

This is actually pretty genius lmao

[@plokijum]

Hey you, stop watching t series

[@youssefbenlahcen1669]

teespring.com/shop/cat203?tsmac=recently_viewed&tsmic=recently_viewed#pid=46&cid=6578&sid=front

[@DragonOfTheSkies]

I’m surprised to see no comments about pu... ...ppies

[@HexIsme]

My 18 yr old cat died on the 16th. I have videos of him, which I watch when I miss him most. It really helps.

[@DrymouthCWW]

Feel better soon

[@clxwncrxwn]

Hex Isme May your cat have all the warm sunny spots to nap and cuddles. I’m sorry for your loss. So here’s a joke to help. 2 elephants are just hanging about doing elephant stuff. When they see a totally naked guy. 1 elephant asks the other. Hey how does he eat with that thing?

[@nicolaiveliki1409]

My condolences. My best friend's cat died recently, too, but only 7 years old. It took a real toll on him

[@katiekane5247]

So sorry my friend! They live forever in our hearts.

[@jarodh-m6099]

Condolences for your loss.

[@bovanshi6564]

I literally just went from writing an essay which needs to be finished tomorrow to watching this video. I expect everything to go much better now and that it will make up for lost time, which definitely wasn't procrastination.

[@davetoms1]

+

[@davetoms1]

Let's get some "+" replies so Bovanshi can ace that essay

[@nerdexproject]

We *desperately need* a video that explains why it is, that we can LOVE cutenes when it comes to animals but at the same time HATE human babies!

[@veryberry39]

I was just coming down here to say that while I think baby animals are freaking adorable, with few exceptions I have zero interest in the human variety. :P I guess we're just supposed to be animal protectors or something!

[@AllegrettoATempo]

I paused this video to look my husband dead in the eyes and tell him that I'd lay down my life for a baby crocodile but hard pass on a human infant. Right there with both of you.

[@K_i_t_t_y84]

You can rationalize logical reasons not to have kids but you cannot change evolutionary human instinct. That's why you can love kittens but not want kids of your own.

[@effiahalhumbhra3755]

["7/29/20, Observing hater comments about human babies here. Sad indeed. No video neccessary why one may feel this way. Clarion call answered. Read On... Shows how innerbreeding affects this part of psyche in human brain for offspring + other negative thoughts, words and actions one may take. Healing necessary to be able to evolve, for these types of consciousness taking over human body from innerbreeding has produced a shadow/pain body. Original human consciousness is one of absolute love for self and others with boundaries of course. Fallen entities caused this atrocity in humanity, Fallen ones besides innerbreeding with humans introduced the victim/victimizer game into this timematrix effecting ones emotional body plus. Time to heal it in ones self."] ["Be aware to feed the shadow/pain body overtime it can grows into an entity unto itself taking over known as bodysnatching/possession."] ["In times of transparency, awakening and healing the self and can be accomplished in much shorter time. Go for it, claim ones' True Divine Essence. There is things needing to be done."] (Queen of Effimah Heart)"]

[@aaronpearlmutter4877]

It sounds like it's another form of that 'an increase in happiness leads to an increase in productivity' thing and the cuteness is a wholesome vehicle for that slight happiness/relaxation/positivity boost

[@ferngirltlc]

I work at a zoo. There are baby snow leopards. I guess I'm set.

[@Reckec]

So, that "Hang in there Baby" Kitten poster that the co-worker behind me had hung by her desk actually was useful ? WOW, I knew talking to her made me work better. Take that Jim (my boss.) (She and I also dated for about 2 years.) !!

[@symoneontheinternet]

0:00-0:05 I just came here for some cute psych and honestly I feel so attacked

[@irmawatifebriani8459]

I love watching cute cats but not the videos/clip, because when i keep watching those cute cats clip, youtube always recomend me lots of tragic , sad cats videos. My heart just can't take it.

[@kujmous]

Watching this at work. Keep it Kawaii, SciShow. :)

[@geepers]

Watching this, I was SO distracted by Brit's shirt. She's talking about cuteness but wearing a shirt showing an image of very dangerous shark jaws & teeth. I couldn't get over the incongruity!

[@1themaster1]

The other way round it may also be true. There are videos where dogs or cats intervene when an adult human scolds or beats a child. They are, as mammals, probably as much wired to respond to the baby schema as we are, not wanting the cutest little human in the family to be harmed and protecting it similar to own offspring.

[@lazyperfectionist1]

I'm going to use this argument the next time my boss catches me watching videos of cute kittens and puppies at work.

[@teralore]

Could it not come from the pictures simply calming participants in a test situation where they would probably be a bit tense? I'm sure researchers would have thought of it, but it was never mentioned so I don't know if it's invalid or not.

[@AllegrettoATempo]

The control was looking at pictures of adult animals though, which would also probably be pretty calming

[@sebastianelytron8450]

I knew I wasn't wasting my time all those years.

[@lrokrasz]

Brit, you're delivery is always delightful. ☺️ Thanks for making science accessible!

[@5Zacc]

If it takes more energy to concentrate and pick out details, then it makes sense that our brains will only work harder when necessary. Seeing a cute baby will make our brain think we need to protect or care for it, increasing the efficiency of our brains but when we don’t need to protect or care for, we think in a less energy draining way

[@davidbuschhorn6539]

"I don't want to have kids." "But you have 12 cats...."

[@unleashingpotential-psycho9433]

I can finally justify the hours I spent watching cute cat videos! 🔥

[@katiekane5247]

So after 35 years in veterinary medicine giving care, I should be much more attentive to detail & hey, I am. I still suck at gaming, cuz I'm 60! I'll keep watching puppies, kittens & baby bat vids, just cuz they make me smile & appreciate not having to get up at 5:30. Now if MY critters would just let me sleep in........

[@uss_04]

I watch this video to justify me watching other videos. Worth it 10/10

[@rhoharane]

2:25 That’s reaction meme image material right there.

[@chetanamanchali8378]

The first five seconds made me feel so attacked!

[@gardenhead92]

I feel personally attacked by the opening of the video

[@GabrielSilva-hv6ml]

I'm curious: Could be there a scientific explanation why I find human babies ugly and boring while loving the cuteness of non-human babies, like kitties and puppies?

[@Mekratrig]

Brit’s hair has been touched with fire. Fanastic color.

[@nekrosis4431]

Hey SciShow: I find some animals (particularly cats and cat-like) very cute. I absolutely feel nothing (except maybe disgust) towards human babies. Talked to some people, I am not the only one. EXPLAIN THAT!!

[@ReikaSensei]

I feel like the kawaii study is why Japan has so many cute things and why they doubled down on it by making official ambassadors.

[@HumanpersonRealname]

I looked at research a couple of years ago on cute videos in relation to Attentional Restoration Theory, which seemed to make more reasonable conclusions than I'm seeing here.

[@GingerGingie]

Totally off topic, but her outfit is Awesome! Love that shirt. CHOMP!

[@lewischarlesworth6697]

Hey guys, I’ve got a video suggestion for you. What are the differences of books and audiobooks on the mind. I know it can be a hot topic with some people but it would be great to see what research has been done on it

[@HalfOfLifeIsIf]

Hey a quick pronunciation note: kawaii is pronounced kah-wah-EE Pronouncing it the way she said it in the video sounds closer to the Japanese word for “scary” (kowai)

[@gravijta936]

Chickens are just the cutest, especially when they're smothered in BBQ sauce!

[@hypergalacticnoodles]

I wonder if this applies to people who don't especially like infants.

[@rodylermglez]

Puppy casts Cuteness1 buff. Human's perception rose.

[@ThomasNimmesgern]

Power of Cuteness gives you +2 on perception of details. Very helpful.

[@CulixIII]

Hmm, the power of kawaii, eh? All according to keikaku.* * Translator's Note: Keikaku means plan.

[@kkeanie]

Or schedule

[@chriswalker7632]

Do I need my 'mind' (or 'soul')? This is not influenced by this, but I have recently looked into Rene Descartes 'passions of the soul' just lately. 'Passions' meaning 'being acted upon' ('passive'), and 'soul' meaning 'mind' ('active') - so in a sense our mind can become 'passive' to what our body is doing (emotions or injury etc), or our mind can be 'active' upon our body (and control our passions). I feel like I don't need my mind - like my mind is just some evolutionary by-product like a tail bone. I just don't need it?

[@EdwardThimbleHands]

1:40, did they change the game? It used to be tweezers.

[@Scotia__]

I find this is amusing because I really do not like human babies, but I adore animals & animal babies

[@dariapavlova8118]

If it is so and we are "hardwired to think that babies are cute", then why there is so many people that feel awkward disgust when they look at the babies and don't consider them cute?

[@snivader]

I swear this is the last video I watch before I get back to work omg that start lmao

[@Ngasii]

0:07: Oh Brit, how I wish I felt guilty😂

[@infrabread]

Does this work with owls as well? Anything with wings gets me going ^-^

[@elanianiyvwia8687]

I’ll just watch the adorable kitties!!! Even if I don’t need to focus or anything. CAUSE THEY ARE SO CUTE!!!! 🐱

[@Mr_Ron]

All this in stark contrast with the shark teeth shirt.

[@NotSuperSerious]

So, how does the control group for that kind of experiment work tho? Did they show pictures of peaceful sceneries, freshly cut fruit, car wrecks, or scary monsters, to see if they DIDN'T cause the same effect? :P

[@RosheenQuynh]

Now I have to look at everything I find adorable and look for the baby schema because I feel like it isn't _always_ the case. I could be wrong, though. I tend to find anything tiny cute, even inanimate objects.

[@thisaccountisdead9060]

Isn't the nucleus accumbens involved in "cuteness"? - and also is their evidence of a relationship to music here as well (with the nucleus accumbens)? That could relate it to mathematics through music? I think also that pedophilia has a relationship to the nucleus accumbens via a brain abnormality that results in sexual attraction to children (instead of adults) rather than a caring instinct towards children. Does the nucleus accumbens play a role in violent behaviour? - could explain a few things?

[@bobthegoat7090]

But what about people like me that think babies are ugly and quite disgusting? Then that baby theory about cuteness doesn't really hold up

[@ValeriePallaoro]

As an aside, what this also seems to say is that the artificial split into mother as care giver and father as provider leaves out the notion that both genders have this sort of skill and can be great at looking after kids. Interesting.

[@violetcrystal333]

0:03 Dang it, I got caught!

[@tommyboyer3104]

Why do you think I keep watching SciShow Psych videos ;)

[@JL897139]

Have to find myself a baby to hold so I can be better at math

[@WWZenaDo]

I wonder whether that "cuteness" effect test could screen out sociopaths, psychopaths, and narcissists in the most destructive end of the curve... Sounds like the instinct to protect small, helpless things might be a viable explanation, which is why I'm becoming very curious as to whether people with anti-social personality disorders would have noticeably different results.

[@SK28th]

Aw. Kitties ❤

[@minaminalove]

Thank you I love cats

[@BitSpartan]

this is why apandah should do funny cats 4

[@wolfferoni]

Okay but here's a question: why is it that some people (like myself) find baby animals cute but not baby humans? You'd think the babies of your own species would take priority but I really don't find actual babies cute, if anything maybe the opposite.

[@zamundaaa776]

0:05 actually I'm supposed to sleep now.

[@MegaIkkuh]

"the power of kawaii" desu desu, gather the weebs!

[@infinitecanadian]

I don't know why people think cats are cute. It isn't a good thing, either, since they put their love of cats ahead of common sense like keeping them inside rather than letting them outside to do harm to the environment.

[@LOLEliSays]

Fascinating

[@dianagibbs3550]

Has anybody studied whether watching cat videos is equivalent to doing other calming behaviors (i.e. deep breathing)?

[@AnomalousMats]

So cute cats make us more aware of T-Series.

[@the_officials38]

I was about to make a research Essay about this subject, but this video covered all the points :/

[@dolomedestenebrosus9564]

The baby schema thing has always been unsatisfying to me. Human babies just don't have the same effect on me as cute animals. I find some babies kind of cute, most pretty unappealing, but even with the cutest ones it's just not at all the same feeling as with animals. I don't hate babies or anything, I just have no interest in them. I can see when a human baby is a cute one but I never get that overwhelming "squeal and want to squeeze it" thing. If the feelings for animals are based on parental instinct, shouldn't I feel the same feeling at least as strongly for human babies? If I'm maybe for some reason lacking parental instincts, why do I have a strong reaction to cute animals? I can see here in the comments that other people feel this way too. Am I missing something and the baby schema explanation isn't harmed by the phenomenon of people gushing over animals but not human babies? I am so curious about this.

[@joanhoffman3702]

So Brit is talking about cuteness while wearing a shirt with a shark's jaw on it. Hmm....Well, baby sharks are kind of cute....until their adult teeth come in. Eeep!

[@pencilfriendpaperscribbler6032]

Kotaro and Bingo are public services.

[@sk8rdman]

I suppose it might be beneficial in the short term, but I'm of the belief that it's detrimental in the long term. Engaging in an indulgence of cuteness is a practice in which the "cute" party becomes reduced to a subject of amusement for the other. It is an exercise in the demeaning of others, and is especially dangerous in the case of cute humans. Sure, the compulsion we have to care for cute children can be beneficial to them at a young enough age, but there comes a point in a child's life where regardless of how cute they are, it's in both their and our best interest not to acknowledge it. We should strive to look past the cuteness and acknowledge that they are a person, and deserve to be taken seriously as such.

[@geoffrey3668]

Great video! Maybe the people were more relax, and so more focus. After all, stress is well known to decrease cognition.

[@jerry3790]

What are the surprise benefits of watching scishow?

[@iigoofylucyii8103]

THEY THINK THE INTERNET DOESN'T KNOW WHAT KAWAII!?!??!?!?!? WELL YOU MY FRIEND ARE WRONG

[@kalyelle8503]

what if I don't find human babies cute but would die for most baby animals?

[@NaumRusomarov]

Mandatory kitten watching during work time initiated.

[@BrandonGraham]

During the intro, did you just lowkey call yourself cute? :P

[@firepheonix1584]

How does she knows that I was suppose to do work??😨😨😨😨

[@soapycorpses]

I'm supposed to be sleeping, you don't know what I'm doing! I haven't slept in days! Help!

[@Draconicrose]

I absolutely hate looking at human babies but get caregiving urges over kittens. Explain THAT science.

[@hollowficate]

Thumbnail: Cute kittens Video title: Cat videos Put a dog video clip in the video. SciShowPsych is dog people confirmed.

[@BlueCrashFigurineHoldingWumpa]

DON'T ENABLE ME

[@ParallelPenguins]

Gotta be careful with how you say Kawaii. It sounds similar to kowaii when you say it fast. Kawaii= cute. Kowaii= scary.

[@kts8900]

Bri I think you are damn cute and you make me more productive.

[@premier69]

what about cute ferret videos?

[@krymsynrayne]

A boost in focus? Well, yeah, I guess... Just not on what I should be focusing on...

[@Sam-jw8mq]

Dislikes are from baby predators LOL

[@sombramoon927]

Problem with baby schema with me i find babies ugly tho kittens and baby animals are cute.

[@putraefenddy6082]

keren bang!

[@freedomdude5420]

So interviewers who are looking for a good employee, you have no excuse to higher parents if they can do the job.

[@JL897139]

Nice JAWS

[@D4rkLigh7]

The thing is for me, I cannot stand human babies. Everything about them just annoys me, kittens, puppies, and the like on the other hand I love.

[@hannahc3317]

Actually, I'm supposed to be sleeping (not working).

[@plokijum]

Do “benefits of watching kitchen nightmare”

[@alexhurst3986]

So what if you think baby animals are adorable AF but can't stand human spawn? I in no way find human offspring even the remotest of cute.

[@theuserintheroom4450]

Arctic. Fox. Laughing.

[@Kaleb.R]

Ha, it is my day off!

[@bugjams]

Why do I find baby cats and other animals (even squids and spiders) to be super cute, but I think human babies are disgusting? 🤔🤔

[@rautamiekka]

Human babies come up as varyingly ugly to me. Baby kittens no, baby puppies depends, and baby bunnies no.