Much of the internet is a cesspool, but the one reliable source of happiness is a cute animal meme. Sharing cute animal content is the human equivalent of pebbling, when penguins gift pebbles as a sign of affection, according to a study by researchers at Concordia University in Montreal. The act of sharing a photo or video, along with personal additions, creates a "digital affective encounter" or a positive online experience.
The authors assert that the circulation of animal content creates digital affective networks — the relationships and encounters centred on and facilitated by digital mood-elevating content.
"The creation, consumption and circulation of animal photos has become a social phenomenon," says co-author Zeynep Arsel, a professor in the Department of Marketing at the John Molson School of Business.
These networks exist in both personal and parasocial (one-way) relationships. The content can be traced throughout the network, with information added or removed based on the relationships between the entity sharing the content and the intended audience. While the study focuses on the commercial use of cute animals, the fact remains that they are a force for good in an increasingly awful world.
Here at Boing Boing, Jennifer Sandlin curates some of the cutest animals the internet has to offer. Check out her posts and enjoy a digital penguin pebble.
Previously:
• Animals in an adorable munching montage
• A supercut of various cute animals sneezing all of the sneezes
• Everybody's doing the 'chicken paw gnaw'
