Presenter: Jiayue Tian

Meme-Sharing and Well-Being among Young People: A Proposed Research Project

Type of Presentation: Oral Presentation

Abstract

This oral presentation is about my proposed project on meme-sharing and young people’ well-being. I chose this topic because memes are a normal part of many young people’s online life. Memes can express mood, stress, and friendship, not just humour. Some studies have already looked at social media and mental health. They suggest that too much social media use may connect with depression, anxiety, stress, and low self-esteem. However, I noticed that many studies still talk about social media in a very broad way. They do not look closely at meme-sharing as one small but common online action. My research question asks how meme-sharing connects with young people’s well-being. For this proposed project, I would focus on people aged 18 to 25 who use social media and share memes. An online survey would ask about meme types, sharing frequency, reasons for sharing, and self-reported well-being. In my presentation, I will discuss my expected idea that funny or friendly meme-sharing may connect with better well-being, while negative or stressful meme-sharing may connect with worse well-being. This project has a limit because survey answers can show a connection, but they cannot prove direct cause and effect.

Biography

Jiayue Tian, who also goes by Jerry, is a Vantage Arts student. Jerry is interested in social media, young people’s daily life, and communication. This proposed project looks at how meme-sharing may connect with young people’s feelings, friendships, and well-being. Through this project, Jerry hopes to understand why small online actions can matter in daily life.