Have you ever sat at home on your bed with your beloved teddy and wondered “Am I the only one doing this?”
The answer is no.
A survey of 6000 UK adults, commissioned by hotel chain Travelodge, found that 35 percent of British adults admitted to sleeping with a stuffed animal, LiveScience reported.
One of the main reasons an adult feels affection towards an inanimate object is nostalgia, but psychologists also suggest that a deeper attachment, called “essentialism” could play a part.
Essentialism, according to University of Bristol psychologist, Professor Bruce Hood, is the idea that objects are more than just their physical properties.
The attachment can be so deep that even the process of cutting up a picture of a beloved object can cause emotional stress. Professor Hood found that when people cut up images of their favourite item their skin was measured for changes in sweat production.
The results of the study, published in the Journal of Cognition and Culture, showed that the stress response was far greater when cutting up a cherished item, even more so than an item of monetary value or a neutral item.
On top of this, a study from 2000 published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that children who took their favourite blanket with them to the doctor experienced less stress, as measured by blood pressure and heart rate.
Next time you find yourself reaching for a security blanket remember, you’re not alone!
Your say: Do you still have your childhood teddy bears? Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? What do you think of these findings?
Related video: Could your child be Australia’s next toy tester?
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