Does Looking At Cute Animal Photographs Help Company Morale?

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Fun Articles.

A rescued seal pup; how cute!

In this May 5, 2012 photo provided by the Alaska SeaLife Center, Olympia, a female harbor seal pup, is shown at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska. Olympia was rescued in Haines on May 2 by the Haines Animal Rescue Center. (AP Photo/Alaska SeaLife Center,)

A new study from Japan has suggested that looking at cute puppy photographs instills a sense of morale, as well as reinforces it. The study was conducted between two groups of students, who were required to look at puppy photos, and those who looked at pictures of older dog and cat photographs, all while playing a game similar to the board game ‘Operation.’ This resulted in the first group being more apt to organize the pieces accurately, than those in the latter group. The first group was also inept to recall efficient memory of certain instances.

These tests were conducted by researchers at Hiroshima University, and results from these photos have researchers stating, “For future applications, cute objects may be used as an emotion elicitor to induce careful behavioral tendencies in specific situations, such as driving and office work.”

Although these pictures make us feel good and warm inside, and have the tests to prove it, do you think your boss will view it as positive or negative when it comes the workforce?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Sources: PhillyBlurbs.com written by Eddie Gribbin

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0046362?imageURI=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0046362.g003

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-cute-animals-kittens-productivity-20121002,0,1435949.story