Author(s)

Wenxin Mao ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Yunnan University, Kunming, 475000, China

Corresponding Author

Wenxin Mao

ABSTRACT

In recent years, with the widespread use of the Internet, social media platforms have become increasingly popular among college students, and the frequency of using internet buzzwords such as "emo," "doge," and "finger heart" has continued to rise. This study hypothesizes a correlation between the frequency of buzzword usage and college students' willingness to spread strong memes. Using questionnaire surveys and SPSS analysis, the study explores the motivations from the perspective of the Uses and Gratifications Theory. The results show that the main motivations for college students to spread strong memes include emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships, self-affirmation, and environmental monitoring, providing a reference for understanding interpersonal communication in online communities^[1].

KEYWORDS

College students, uses and gratifications, strong memes, internet buzzwords

CITE THIS PAPER

Wenxin Mao, An Analysis of College Students' Motivations for Spreading "Strong Memes" Based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Media and Communication Research (2025) Vol. 6: 121-125. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/mediacr.2025.060217.

REFERENCES

[1] Katz,E.(1959),'Mass Communication Research and the Study of Popular Culture: An Editorial Note on a Possible Future for This Journal', Studies in Public Communication,Vol.2,No.1, pp.1-6.
[2] Thomsen, A.(1941) 'Review of what reading does to people and reading and listening comprehension.', The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 36(4), pp. 603–604. 
[3] Hu Zhenzhen. (2017). A Literature Review of the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Journalism Research Guide, 8(08): 107.
[4] Blumler&E. Katz.(1974).'The Uses of Mass Communications: Current Perspectives on Gratifications Research', Beverly Hills,CA:Sage,pp.19-34.
[5] Ren Yihan. (2018). The Rise of Wang Ju in "Produce 101" from the Perspective of the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Journalism Research Guide, 9(11), 36–37.
[6] Li Lai. (2019). A Study on College Students' Exposure to "Sang Culture" from the Perspective of the Uses and Gratifications Theory [Master's thesis, Southwest Jiaotong University].
[7] Lu Heng. (2011). Uses and Gratifications: A Labeled Theory. International Press, 33(2), 11–18.
[8] Zhang Hui. (2019). Questions and Boundaries: Reflections on the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Contemporary Communications, 6, 47–50.

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