Sharing Animal Memes Is Good for Your Health, According to a New Study
Sharing Animal Memes Is Good for Your Health, According to a New Study originally appeared on PetHelpful.
There are few things as enjoyable as scrolling through funny and adorable animal memes. Between the cute photos of baby critters, to the hilarious pictures people capture of their pet's antics, the internet is a wealth of images of animals that are perfect for sharing. But now, scientists say that hitting "send" on those animal memes may actually be good for you.
The study was published in the Journal of Consumer Research. In it, researchers compared the sharing of memes to an activity that penguins do called pebbling. 'Pebbling is a behavior practiced by Gentoo penguins who present pebbles to desired mates as tokens of affection,' Ghalia Shamayleh, the head researcher involved in the study, told BBC Science Focus. 'Our research observes a similar behavior in humans interacting on social media.'That behavior? Sharing adorable animal memes online. "We share them with our loved ones as a token of affection, to reinforce our relationships," Shamayleh explains, adding that content creators are especially guilty of pebbling, and it can be seen in the way they dress their pets up or talk about them, using phrases like "teefs," "doggo," and "sploot."
Of course, cute animal photos are pretty universally adored, making them easier to share with our loved ones. Not only that, but researchers discovered that people also put a lot of thought into what they're sharing, and with whom.
'By sharing animal content with the added reference to the sender's relationship, people digitally pebble their loved ones as though to say 'This made me think of you, of our relationship',' Shamayleh explains of those things we personalize with a note before we share.That means the next time someone sends you an animal meme, they're doing more than just sending a funny picture, they're trying to tell you how much you mean to them... one cute kitten or fluffy "doggo" at a time.
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Sharing Animal Memes Is Good for Your Health, According to a New Study first appeared on PetHelpful on Jun 17, 2025
This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
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6 days ago
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Sharing Animal Memes Is Good for Your Health, According to a New Study
Sharing Animal Memes Is Good for Your Health, According to a New Study originally appeared on PetHelpful. There are few things as enjoyable as scrolling through funny and adorable animal memes. Between the cute photos of baby critters, to the hilarious pictures people capture of their pet's antics, the internet is a wealth of images of animals that are perfect for sharing. But now, scientists say that hitting "send" on those animal memes may actually be good for you. The study was published in the Journal of Consumer Research. In it, researchers compared the sharing of memes to an activity that penguins do called pebbling. 'Pebbling is a behavior practiced by Gentoo penguins who present pebbles to desired mates as tokens of affection,' Ghalia Shamayleh, the head researcher involved in the study, told BBC Science Focus. 'Our research observes a similar behavior in humans interacting on social media.'That behavior? Sharing adorable animal memes online. "We share them with our loved ones as a token of affection, to reinforce our relationships," Shamayleh explains, adding that content creators are especially guilty of pebbling, and it can be seen in the way they dress their pets up or talk about them, using phrases like "teefs," "doggo," and "sploot." Of course, cute animal photos are pretty universally adored, making them easier to share with our loved ones. Not only that, but researchers discovered that people also put a lot of thought into what they're sharing, and with whom. 'By sharing animal content with the added reference to the sender's relationship, people digitally pebble their loved ones as though to say 'This made me think of you, of our relationship',' Shamayleh explains of those things we personalize with a note before we means the next time someone sends you an animal meme, they're doing more than just sending a funny picture, they're trying to tell you how much you mean to them... one cute kitten or fluffy "doggo" at a time. 🐾 SIGN UP to get "pawsitivity" delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends along with expert advice from veterinarians and pet trainers 🐾 Sharing Animal Memes Is Good for Your Health, According to a New Study first appeared on PetHelpful on Jun 17, 2025 This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
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Study Reveals Hidden Power of Sharing Cute Animal Pics
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. From clumsy puppies to grinning chimps, adorable animal content is fantastically popular on social media. But while these charming snaps are a source of instant joy for viewers, it turns out that their impact goes beyond just entertainment. A study from Concordia University has concluded that sharing cute animal pictures online strengthens digital connections, reinforcing bonds both within social groups and online communities. The researchers compare the act of sharing animal content on social media to "pebbling," a behavior often observed in penguins to show that they care about each other. The penguins offer pebbles, which serve as nesting material in the barren Antarctic, to their chosen mates as a way to acknowledge their relationship and affirm their commitment to each other. A stock image shows a person taking a picture of a stray cat with a digital camera, as the animal poses in front of them. A stock image shows a person taking a picture of a stray cat with a digital camera, as the animal poses in front of them. getty images Sharing cute animal content with your friends and family serves a similar purpose, maintaining and nurturing relationships in a digital space. After all, about 50 percent of global social media users do say that their main reason for being on social media is to keep in touch with their loved ones. The study outlines a framework that explains the content's journey from creation to circulation. The first step is "indexicalization", the process of taking an image, gif or video of an animal, and adding an emotional cue or meaning to it, like a hashtag or a caption, to signify one's relationship with it. Next comes re-indexicalization, when the content is shared and interacted with in what is dubbed a "techno-affective encounter". This adds new emotional layers to the media that create a shared understanding of its meaning exclusively within the group to whom it is shared. The final step is decontextualization, when the content is stripped of personalized information and shaped into widely relatable content, like memes, to appeal to a broader audience. "Our findings imply that companion animals' capacities as social lubricants traverse to digital space, thus facilitating interactions and reinforcing relationships as companion species content", the researchers wrote in their study. Although this specific study only focuses on cute animal content, the researchers suggest that the same principles are likely to apply to other similar types of digital content, like food images or posts featuring funny kids. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about how we connect? Let us know via science@ Reference Shamayleh, G., & Arsel, Z. (2025). Digital Affective Encounters: The Relational Role of Content Circulation on Social Media. Journal of Consumer Research.
Yahoo
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Tailless Alligator Waddles Across Road and People Wonder About His Ability to Survive
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