COMMUNICATION AND MEMES: A STUDY OF UNICROSS MASS COMMUNICATION STUDENTS PERCEPTION

The study examined communication and memes: a study of UNICROSS Mass Communication students perception. Objectives of the study were to ascertain the extent to which memes are utilized in communication among mass communication students; to find out the perception of mass communication students towards memes and their role in communication; and to ascertain the impact of memes in communication among mass communication students. Semiotic theory was used to provide the framework for the study and a survey method of research was adopted while a close-end questionnaire was the instrument of data collection of which out of 312 copies of questionnaire distributed only 293 copies were retrieved. Simple random sampling technique were used to select respondents. The data collected were analysed using the simple frequency and percentage method of data analysis. Findings indicated that majority of the respondents frequently utilized memes in visual communication. It was also shown that majority of UNICROSS Mass Communication students perceive memes as the ability to poke fun at serious issues or everyday life and it is the role it plays in communication. Therefore, the study concluded that memes cannot improve communication, because memes reflect the values, beliefs, and attitudes of the society in which they arise from. The study recommended that, mass communication department should integrate memes as part of their communication strategies as memes can be used to simplify complex concepts, make learning more engaging, and create relatable content for students.