Using a few memes in an article makes people quit, but using a ton of them actually makes people finish reading.
March 24, 2026
Original Paper
Distraction or Immersion? Investigating the Effect of Internet Memes on User Knowledge Acquisition Behavior in Online Reading
SSRN · 6347118
The Takeaway
There is a 'U-shaped' effect for memes in online education. A low number of memes acts as a cognitive distraction that breaks focus, but high-intensity meme usage creates 'cognitive absorption,' actually helping readers stay immersed in complex or emotionally difficult topics.
From the abstract
Users increasingly rely on social media to acquire scientific and health-related knowledge, yet sustaining engagement with expert-driven content remains challenging. Although Internet memes are widely used in digital communication, their role in knowledge consumption is theoretically ambiguous: memes may distract users by increasing cognitive load or foster immersion by enhancing affective engagement. Drawing on cognitive load theory and cognitive absorption, this study examines how embedding me