Looking at adorable animals immediately gives a calming effect. According to science, these images do help in reducing stress and anxiety by up to 50%.
In late 2019, the University of Leeds conducted a study in which 19 people watched a montage of photos and clips of cute animals. The results indicated a drop in blood pressure in the participants, who were due to take an exam 90 minutes after the research. The focus groups described their session as “relaxing” and “enjoyable.”
Dr. Andrea Utley, who headed the research, shared more data with CNN, revealing that participants’ blood pressure dropped from 136/88 to 117/71. For context, the standard and healthy range is 120/80. The average heart rate also fell to 67.4 bpm, a 6.5% reduction. The resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 bpm.
Studies from around the world show similar results. In 2015, Hiroshima University in Japan conducted research that revealed how adorable pictures of baby animals can help improve attention and concentration.
Specifically, humans naturally respond to these younglings' “baby schema” characteristics, such as their large heads and high, protruding foreheads.
Associate Professor Hiroshi Nittono led the study involving three experiments and 132 participants. He concluded that these cute images could help improve performance on detail-oriented tasks.
“This study shows that viewing cute things improves subsequent performance in tasks that require behavioral carefulness, possibly by narrowing the breadth of attentional focus,” Nittono wrote.
Researchers have suggested that caregivers' improved attention to detail may be due to their close attention to their babies, including their vigilance against potential threats.
“Perceiving cuteness exerts immediate effects on cognition and behavior in a wider context than that related to caregiving or social interaction,” Nittono and his team wrote.
