Good news! You no longer need to feel guilty about posting too many memes on social media!
According to science, memes have greatly helped people cope with stress, especially during the pandemic.
A recent study led by Jessica Gall Myrick and published by the American Psychological Association has found that memes actually make people feel “calmer, content, and more cheerful.”
Myrick, a communications professor at Pennsylvania State University, surveyed more than 748 people on whether consuming lighthearted memes about the pandemic eased their minds during difficult times and her study concluded that it did. In fact, respondents reported that viewing funny or cute memes about the epidemic, in particular, were more confident in their ability to deal with the global health crisis.
“People are using memes as a way to cope and talk about life during the pandemic, and to make social commentary,” Myrick said in an interview. “Because we’re isolated, when you see a meme about covid and it reflects something about our experience, it’s really powerful because you don’t get to have as much interpersonal interaction with people. There’s something about it that helps us relate to other people.”
While the study’s sample size is small, it’s nice to know that social media can provide some positivity throughout the day.
