The complex psychology behind political memes

The complex psychology behind political memes

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In today’s Facebooking Twitterverse, we are all becoming public figures whether we want to be or not.; Credit: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images

Memes — you’ve probably seen a few in your Facebook feed today, and, given the tone of the presidential race, it’s safe to say you’ll probably see a lot more in the months ahead.

Political memes often use pictures familiar to us in popular culture, paired with short and snappy text. Combined, they’re an effective tool for communicating an (often partisan) point.

But what makes memes such an effective way to send a message? Can a meme ever change a voter’s mind?

Take Two put that question to Morteza Dehghani, assistant professor of psychology and computer science at USC.

Audio coming soon.