A new scientific study conducted by researchers at the University of Hiroshima (Japan) and published in the journal PLoS ONE reveals that watching videos and photographs of puppies and baby animals improves our dexterity in non-motor skills and makes us faster, more productive and more effective at when completing tasks. Photographs or filming of adult animals, however, have no effect on us.
Based on their experiments with subjects performing different tests before and after viewing images of puppies, the researchers conclude that kawaii – a Japanese word that can be translated as "cuteness" or "preciousness" and is used to designate what we produces positive emotions, for example, looking at images of puppies or animal babies – not only does it make us feel good, but it also affects our behavior, especially when carrying out tasks that require us to be careful , probably because they help to focus focus of attention . According to the authors, the effect of this type of images could be exploited in specific situations such as when driving – placing photos of puppies on the dashboard of buses and trucks – or to improve the performance of office workers.
