Some videos can be oddly satisfying as some even place the viewers on trance. It an unexplainable visual phenomenon, luckily, science was able to explain the rationale as to why most individuals can seem to get their eyes off these videos.
Psychology experts clearly explained the indescribable satisfaction that most individuals get upon watching those oddly satisfying videos. Refinery 29 mentioned that these videos are subtly associated with the individuals' feelings.
"It's the idea that genres of media get implicitly associated with certain feelings," explains Jessica Gall Myrick, PhD, an assistant professor at Indiana University Media School. "Then, sort of out of habit, [you] turn to one type of media when you feel one way, but when you feel another way, [you] turn to a different type of media, Now that we have phones in our pockets, we have these portable tools to regulate our moods."
Dr. Myrick also explained that one of the most common emotions that are often soothed by the video is anxiety. It was mentioned that the satisfying videos would act as an alleviating factor to divert the brain's attention, until the individual would feel calm and comforted.
"Anxiety is the type of emotion that we're hardwired to feel because it helps protect us in a dangerous world," says Dr. Myrick. "Our brains learn very fast what causes anxiety and what relieves it."
In a study published in Computers and Human Behavior, it was mentioned that people who are sad and anxious, or those who procrastinate would often watch cat videos to help them cope with their anxious feeling while procrastinating.
The study which involved 7000 internet users that was published in Science Direct mentioned that having positive emotions after watching cat videos can actually calm the person that is procrastinating. It was then added that these satisfying videos can rid the feeling of stress and guilt.
"Results support a conceptual model arguing that the happiness gained from viewing Internet cats can moderate the relationship between procrastination motives, guilt, and enjoyment'" the study mentioned.
