Humor, Harm, and Media Effects: A Cultivation Analysis of Violent Memes Among College Students

Department

North Carolina A&T State University, 1601 E Market St, NC 27411

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

4-17-2026

Abstract

This literature review examines how exposure to violent content on social media—specifically violent memes—relates to college students’ mental and emotional experiences. College students are a key population because they use social media frequently while balancing academic, work, and personal pressures. Previous research on media effects, desensitization, and cultivation theory suggests that repeated exposure to violent material can influence emotional responses, perceived stress, and attitudes toward violence. Using cultivation theory and desensitization theory, this review explores how habitual exposure to violent memes may contribute to shifts in what students perceive as normal or acceptable. Violent memes often blend humor with references to physical harm or aggression, potentially altering how violence is interpreted over time. Dark humor is also considered as a possible coping mechanism that students may use when managing stress or negative emotions. This study proposes three hypotheses: (1) students who frequently engage with violent memes by sharing, commenting, or creating them are expected to report greater use of humor as a coping strategy; (2) students who spend more hours per week viewing violent memes are expected to report higher levels of perceived stress; and (3) exposure to violent memes is expected to be associated with a more desensitized worldview. An online survey will be distributed to North Carolina A&T State University students, and results will be available before the conference. This study offers theoretical contributions by extending cultivation and desensitization frameworks to violent memes, an emerging form of digital communication. Practically, the findings may inform mental health practitioners, media literacy educators, and student life professionals seeking to support students’ well being in online environments.

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