Japanese scientist and researcher have made a very interesting research conclusion that is taking the advertising industry by storm. The research was conducted in several parts all suggesting that watching a cute puppy can enhance one’s maternal instinct, improve focus, improve mindfulness and activate love hormones.
Watching your dog activates your parental hormones
A group of Japanese researchers has conducted research and found that while dogs look at their owners, a hormonal process similar to that activated between mothers and their children is activated. In both, intervene the so-called love hormone or hormone oxytocin. The journal Science has published the study that explains how the look between the dog and its owner triggers the levels of oxytocin in the brain of both.
The hormone oxytocin is related to sexual patterns and paternal and maternal behavior. It also has a very important role in the recognition and establishment of social bonds and trust relationships between people.
In the investigation, several dogs participated with their owners who were then left together in a room for30 minutes. During all that time the whole interaction was documented. Oxytocin levels were then measured in the urine of dogs and those of their owners. It was discovered that visual contact between the two had caused elevated levels of hormone oxytocin.
In a second part of the investigation, the Japanese researchers applied oxytocin spray to several dogs and put them in a room with their owners and several unknown people. The animals increased the time they looked at their owners and, after half an hour, oxytocin levels grew in the owners of the treated dogs.
This research was published in a science journal that has been made by researchers from the University of Medical and Health Sciences in Tokyo. The research was applied on various kinds of dogs including two stray dogs, three miniature schnauzers, three poodles, two sausage dogs, two shiba inu, a border collie, a boxer, a German shepherd, a Jack Russell terrier and a miniature bull terrier among others.
Watching a cute puppy improves concentration
Psychological scientists from Hiroshima University in Japan conducted an experiment led by researcher Hiroshi Nittono stating that watching the pictures of cute puppies improves focus. The experiment was performed in several parts for better and detailed review.
In the first part, a group of students were asked to perform a medical tasks that required great attention and care. After performing the task, half of the group was shown pictures of cute baby puppies and the other half was shown the pictures of adult dogs. Now the students were taken back to the experiment room and were asked to perform the same task again. The group that watched cute puppies performed the task with great care, and focus. Hence taking more time than before.
However, the other group that saw adult dog pictures had no difference in their performance. They took similar amount of time and performed same as before.
In the next part of experiment, a group of students were asked to identify letters. In this experiment, on a screen the students were shown some big letters that were composed of several small letters. Half of them were shown the pictures of cute puppies. That group was able to identify the small letters because they were able to focus on the details. However, the other group of students were able to identify the bigger letters only. Hence, the researchers also concluded that watching the pictures of cute puppies activated mindfulness, careful behavior and improves focus on details. Cute pictures of puppies are helpful for better performance especially if the task requires great attention and focus.
Mother’s feel good and love hormones activate
A human brain has several parts that are associated with different emotions. And amygdala, the medial orbitofrontal cortex, and dorsal putamen are associated with love and reward. These parts of brain activate when the women watch their pets and their children.
The experiment as conducted by giving pictures of their pets, their children and some unfamiliar children and pets. When the women saw their own children and pets, the same part of brain activated. However, watching other children and other pets did not evoke any neurological effect on their brains. The study was conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital.
Scientist have proved that a mother’s feel good and love hormones start to function when she watched her pet. It is the same hormone that activates when she watches her children. Therefore, the love or a pet is no less than the love for children. Which means that maternal instinct doesn’t discriminate between species. No matter what specie of baby you adore, it will activate your maternal hormones.
Above all, there’s one more thing that cute puppies do to us. They make us happy, smile and improve our mood. This point should not be ignored. Concluding all this, the advertisers are creating ads based on cute human babies and cute puppies to help their audience pay better attention to their products.