9781422272947

Memes are created to elicit a variety of reactions, from happiness and laughter to fear and anger.

created to be humorous, but some memes also trigger different emotions such as anger, fear, and hate. Although the science of memes is hard to study because it is laden with intangible elements, psychologists have taken a stab at trying to define what makes them so popular. When a meme gains considerable popularity on social media, it is classified as viral. Research shows that it doesn’t matter how high-quality or how true a meme’s basis is—it can still be popular. What is more important is how emotionally arousing the meme itself is. In other words, if a meme makes you feel something, it has a much better chance of becoming viral.

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SCIENCE IN SOCIAL MEDIA

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