Funny, Felt, Familiar: Memetic Communication, Trust in Science, and Risk Perception in Short Video-Based Social Media

Abstract

Scientists are becoming more present on social media, not only to gain public visibility as experts in their fields but also to champion accurate science. While many have used microblogging and online discussion forums, the growing prominence of visual and short-form content has led to the emergence of platforms like TikTok as a new frontier for science communication. Through memes, skits, challenges, and video remixes, TikTok scientists are redefining public engagement with scientific topics. However, the influence of these communication strategies on audience perceptions of trust and risk remains largely unexplored. Amidst evolving public views on science and changing patterns of information consumption, understanding novel forms of communication is crucial to guide scientists using emerging platforms to maximize scientific reach and impact.

In two studies, this dissertation focuses on memetic science communication and examines the psychological mechanisms underlying the effects of engagement with short science videos. Study 1, an observational study, explored the message characteristics associated with engagement on TikTok videos. A dataset of 12,335 science-related videos was compiled from prominent science content creators, from which a random sample of 1,025 videos was examined. Multilevel models, controlling for content creator as a random intercept, were used to analyze multimodal message characteristics and their association with views, likes, shares, and comments. This analysis revealed three consistent predictors of social media engagement: the reappropriation and remixing of other media content, the use of humor, and the imitation of social media storytelling templates and styles—all hallmarks of meme-based communication. These findings suggest that memetic communication plays a significant role in driving audience interaction on TikTok.

Building upon these results, Study 2 employed a between-subjects experiment (N=610) among 18- to 25-year-old U.S. residents to understand the psychological mechanisms behind the effects of memetic elements on measures of trust and risk perceptions. Drawing from theories of humor, affect, psychological distance, and the stereotype content model, three message treatments were developed that varied in “memetic-ness.” Structural equation modeling revealed that meme-heavy videos elicited negative affective responses, more humorous reactions, and more abstract mental construal compared to the other conditions, on average. Moreover, trust measures were directly associated with (positive) affect, humor, and level of abstraction, and only humor had direct associations with risk perception. Mediation analysis showed that meme-heavy videos had indirect positive associations with trust measures through affect, and had indirect negative associations with risk perception through humor.

This dissertation advances the fields of media psychology and science communication by examining an emerging media platform and novel communication styles that shape perception and social judgment. It provides empirical evidence on the implications of using short videos on perceptions of trust and risk, and offers evidence-based recommendations for scientists seeking to use TikTok for science communication. More broadly, the results underscore the necessity for science communicators to adopt audience-centered approaches, creatively leveraging social media platforms to bridge the gap between scientific expertise and public understanding.